Evangelos Marinakis: A Biography
Born in Piraeus, a Greek port city, Evangelos Marinakis is best known for his pioneering role in the global shipping industry as chairman of Capital Maritime & Trading Corporation. Born on 30th July 1967, Mr Marinakis is the son of prominent shipowner and Greek parliamentarian Miltiadis Marinakis and his wife, Irini, a descendent of the prestigious Yspilantis family.
Evangelos Marinakis attended school in his home city of Piraeus before relocating to the United Kingdom to complete his university studies. He gained a bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration and a master’s degree in International Relations, graduating from the American International University in London.
Evangelos Marinakis’s entrepreneurial journey saw him follow in the footsteps of his father, embarking on a career in the international shipping industry. As a commercial manager for Capital Ship Management Corporation, Mr Marinakis ensured the success and growth of many businesses that today form part of the Capital Maritime group of companies. Founding Capital Maritime & Trading Corporation in 2005, he created firm foundations for success, growing the company considerably over the years. Today, Capital Maritime & Trading Corporation manages a mixed fleet of tankers, dry bulk carriers and container ships.
Having served as chairman of the board of Capital Product Partners LP, Evangelos Marinakis also founded the Crude Carriers Corporation. The latter company went on to merge with Capital Product Partners LP in 2011.
An ardent supporter of Olympiacos FC, the team of his home city, Piraeus, Evangelos Marinakis acquired a controlling share in the football club in 2010. Under his leadership as club president, the team amassed an unprecedented seven consecutive championship wins.
Evangelos Marinakis went on to acquire the English football club Nottingham Forest in 2017. Determined to restore the club to its former glory, he managed to gain the English Football League’s approval for his ambitious redevelopment plans for the team’s historic home ground. Under Mr Marinakis’s stewardship, the team now boasts the largest football stadium in the East Midlands, a world-class venue incorporating state-of-the-art facilities.
In 2014, Evangelos Marinakis teamed with Yannis Moralis, vice president of Olympiacos Football Club and mayor of Piraeus. The duo launched the independent Piraeus Winner alliance, running a successful election campaign that saw Mr Marinakis become a member of Piraeus city council in 2015. The party’s manifesto centred around establishing the Greek port as a thriving tourist destination, upgrading infrastructure and enhancing living standards for local people.
In addition to his prominent role in global shipping, Evangelos Marinakis also has business interests spanning a range of other market segments, including the media and entertainment industries. Throughout an extraordinarily successful career, Mr Marinakis has consistently leveraged his position as a businessman and public figure to further his philanthropic endeavours, including pledging €168,590 to the ‘Greece Debt Free’ charity website on behalf of Olympiacos FC to help tackle the Greek national debt. In 2013, he played an instrumental role in establishing a partnership between Olympiacos FC and UNICEF, with the club providing funding for child immunisation schemes across developing nations.
In Piraeus, Evangelos Marinakis has pledged his personal funds to finance several redevelopment schemes. His generous donations have paved the way for programmes to create new businesses and jobs across the city. Committed to environmental sustainability, Mr Marinakis has also helped the Capital Maritime & Trading Corporation to earn recognition for its sustainability and environmental impact efforts. In 2014, 2015 and 2018, Capital Maritime & Trading Corporation was the proud recipient of the Green Environmental Achievement Award from the Port of Long Beach in South Carolina, as well as being honoured with GREEN4SEA’s Excellence Award in 2015.
