Evangelos Marinakis, a leading figure in international shipping today, was born in the Greek port city of Piraeus in 1967. He is the only son of Irini Marinaki, née Karakatsani, and Miltiadis Marinakis. Evangelos Marinakis’s Cretan father founded Vanimar and was also a successful shipowner. His mother is a descendant of the prestigious Ypsilantis family.
An alumnus of London’s American International University, Evangelos Marinakis graduated with a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and International Business Administration respectively. Upon graduating, Evangelos Marinakis followed in his father’s footsteps, venturing into the shipping industry.
Following training to become a chartered broker at the UK firms Harley Mullion and Elders Chartering Limited, Evangelos Marinakis established the Capital Maritime Trading Corp, starting out on his own highly successful entrepreneurial journey in the global shipping industry and remaining true to his family’s maritime pedigree. He also served as Crude Carriers Corp’s CEO, a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In addition. Evangelos Marinakis founded Capital Product Partners LP, serving as chairman of the American Stock Exchange-listed company.
A lifelong supporter of Olympiacos F.C., the football team of Piraeus, his home city, Evangelos Marinakis acquired a majority share in the football club in 2010. During his tenure as club president, Evangelos Marinakis led the team to victory in seven championships.
Mr Marinakis subsequently acquired Nottingham Forest F.C. in 2017, gaining the English Football League’s approval for ambitious plans to retore the club to its former glory. These approved plans included a redevelopment of the team’s grounds to create the East Midland’s largest stadium, a facility incorporating world-class facilities.
Like his father before him, Evangelos Marinakis ventured into politics. He and Olympiacos vice president Yannis Moralis co-founded the independent ‘Piraeus Winner’ alliance. Following a successful campaign in 2014, Mr Marinakis was elected to the Piraeus City Council. During his tenure, he focused on upgrading infrastructure, improving the city’s standard of living, and transforming Piraeus into a thriving tourist destination.
A dedicated philanthropist, Evangelos Marinakis uses his position as a public figure and businessman to effect positive societal change. Following the Greek financial crisis, Mr Marinakis donated €168,590 to the charity website ‘Greek Debt Free’ on behalf of Olympiacos F.C. He was also a driving force behind Olympiacos’s partnership with UNICEF in 2013, helping to implement a child immunisation scheme across the developing world. Meanwhile, in his home city of Piraeus, Evangelos Marinakis donated his personal funds to finance redevelopment and the creation of jobs and businesses across the city.
