A revered figure in the global shipping industry, Evangelos Marinakis was born on the 30th July 1967 in Piraeus, a Greek port city. He is the only son of prominent Cretan shipowner Miltiadis Marinakis and his wife Irini Marinakis, née Karakatsani, who is descended from the esteemed Ypsilantis family.
Evangelos Marinakis studied in London, attending The American International University, where he gained a bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration, as well as a master’s degree in International Relations. After graduating, Mr Marinakis followed in the footsteps of his father, embarking on a career in international shipping.
Working as a trainee chartering broker at Harley Mullion and Elders Chartering Limited, two prominent British firms, Evangelos Marinakis forged a hugely successful path in shipping. Beginning with a company consisting of seven bulk carriers that was passed down to him from his father, he went on to found the Capital Maritime & Trading Corporation, establishing himself as one of the most important figures in the global shipping industry with a net worth estimated at circa $650 million.
Mr Marinakis served as CEO of Crude Carriers Corporation, a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. He also founded the American Stock Exchange-listed Capital Product Partners LP maritime company.
In early 2019, a merger between Capital Product Partners LP and Diamond S Shipping Inc. was announced, culminating in the creation of one of the largest listed tanker companies in the world, in a deal worth a reported $1.65 billion. Evangelos Marinakis serves as board member for several other prestigious companies, and is the owner of One Channel, Alter Ego Media SA and Abisso Holdings Limited.
Evangelos Marinakis has been recognised with numerous awards and accolades throughout his extraordinary career honouring his vast contribution to the global shipping industry, including:
- Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards – ‘Newsmaker of the Year’ (2010 and 2014)
- International Registries Inc./The Marshall Islands Registry – ‘Xenakoudis Excellence in Shipping Award’ (2016)
- Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards – ‘Personality of the Year’ (2017)
- Lloyd’s Register of Shipping – ‘Certificate of Recognition for Commitment to Excellence in Ship Management and Operations’ (2018)
In 2010, Evangelos Marinakis bought Olympiacos F.C., a football club based in his home city of Piraeus. He continues to preside as club President today, having previously served as the Hellenic Football Federation’s Vice President from 2010 to 2011, and Greek Superleague President.
In 2017, Mr Marinakis acquired Nottingham Forest F.C. in the UK, gaining the approval of the English Football League for far-reaching plans to reinstate the football club to its former glory, including an exciting redevelopment of Nottingham Forest’s home grounds, culminating in the creation of a venue with world-class facilities and the largest stadium in the East Midlands.
Teaming up with Yannis Moralis, Olympiacos Vice President and Mayor of Piraeus, Evangelos Marinakis co-founded the independent Piraeus Winner alliance in 2014, becoming an elected first member of the Piraeus city council in May that year. Mr Marinakis and his party pledged to focus on improving the standard of living for Piraeus residents, upgrading local infrastructure and transforming the port city into a thriving tourist destination.
With a history of generous donations to a variety of worthy causes, Evangelos Marinakis is a dedicated philanthropist. In Piraeus, he has pledged his personal funds to finance the construction of parks, squares, children’s playgrounds and sports facilities throughout the city, supporting a city council that lacked much needed funding in the wake of the Greek economic crisis. He also used his own finances to fund redevelopment, resulting in the creation of new businesses and jobs throughout Piraeus.
As a global shipping magnate and business leader, Evangelos Marinakis has leveraged his position to enact positive social change. The Capital Maritime & Trading Corporation has been recognised with several industry awards for its efforts to improve sustainability and lessen the environmental impact of global shipping, including the ‘Green Environmental Achievement Award’ (the Port of Long Beach, Southern California) in 2014, 2015 and 2017, and the GREEN4SEA ‘Excellence Award’ in 2015.
In addition to his work in Piraeus, Mr Marinakis has supported numerous causes, both within Greece and oversees. On behalf of Olympiacos F.C., he pledged €168,590 to Greece Debt Free, a charity website created to eliminate Greece’s national debt.
In 2013, Evangelos Marinakis established a partnership between Olympiacos F.C. and UNICEF, supporting child immunisation in the developing world.
