Evangelos Marinakis: Shipowner, Politician and Philanthropist
Evangelos Marinakis is a prominent Greek shipowner, politician and philanthropist who has consistently leveraged his position to achieve a positive social impact. Born in the port city of Piraeus, Greece, in 1967, he is the son of Eirini Marinaki, nee Karakatsani, and Miltiadis Marinakis. In addition to owning a fleet of ships, Miltiadis Marinakis was a financial supporter of Piraeus Football Club as well as serving as a member of the Greek Parliament.
After concluding his high school education in Greece, Evangelos Marinakis attended university in England, earning a BA degree in International Business Administration and a master’s degree in International Relations. Upon graduating, Mr Marinakis followed in his father’s footsteps, venturing into shipping. He worked as a trainee chartering broker for two prestigious British companies before embarking on his entrepreneurial journey and founding the Capital Maritime Trading Corp.
Evangelos Marinakis is also the founder of Capital Product Partners LP, a maritime company he continues to preside over as chairman. He also served as chief executive officer of the NYSE-listed Crude Carriers Corp until its merger with Capital Product Partners LP in 2011. In 2019, plans were unveiled for a merger between Capital Product Partners LP and Diamond S Shipping Inc in a deal worth a reported $1.65 billion that resulted in the creation of one of the world’s largest tanker companies.
In addition to leading Capital Maritime Trading Corp, Evangelos Marinakis also serves on the board of several other companies operating across a range of industries. In addition to owning One Channel, Abisso Holdings and Alter Ego Media SA, he also retains a major shareholding in Capital Product Partners LP.
Evangelos Marinakis launched his shipping business with a fleet of seven bulk carriers he inherited from his father. Over the years, he has taken the group of companies from strength to strength, in the process earning himself recognition as one of the most powerful figures in global shipping.
An ardent supporter of Olympiacos FC, the team of his home city, Piraeus, Evangelos Marinakis acquired a controlling stake in the football club in 2010. Throughout his tenure as President of Olympiacos FC, he led the team to an astounding seven consecutive championship victories.
Evangelos Marinakis acquired Nottingham Forest Football Club in 2017. He subsequently secured the English Football League’s approval for his bold plans to restore the club to its former glory. The scheme included extensive redevelopment of the team’s historic grounds, paving the way for the creation of a world-class venue with state-of-the-art facilities that today ranks as the largest football stadium in the East Midlands.
Having joined forces with the mayor of Piraeus and Olympiacos vice president, Yannis Moralis, Evangelos Marinakis led a successful campaign in local elections with the Piraeus Winner alliance and was elected as a member of Piraeus City Council. In this role, Mr Marinakis worked tirelessly to improve living standards for local people, upgrading infrastructure and spearheading ambitious projects with the ultimate goal of generating employment opportunities and prosperity by transforming Piraeus into a thriving tourist destination.
Committed to giving back, Evangelos Marinakis has used his personal wealth to finance construction of an array of public amenities across Piraeus, financing the creation of parks and squares, children’s playgrounds and sports facilities. He has also overseen numerous cultural initiatives celebrating the city’s maritime heritage, as well as overseeing programmes that led to the creation of summer camps, sports camps, Christmas and carnival parks, and excursions and events for the elderly.
Throughout his career, Evangelos Marinakis has been honoured with numerous prestigious awards, including being named Greek Shipping Personality of the Year by Lloyd’s List at a special award ceremony in Athens in 2017.
