Minos Kyriakou Greek billionaire, businessman and shipping magnate Date of Birth: 31.05.1938 Country: Greece

1. Biography of Minos Kyriakou
2. Family Background and Early Life
3. Business and Investments
4. Sports Involvement
5. Personal Life and Recognition
6. Legal Issues

Biography of Minos Kyriakou

Minos Kyriakou, a Greek billionaire, businessman, and shipping magnate, is the head of the Greek Olympic Committee. He was born on May 31, 1938, on the small Greek island of Poros, which has a rich history dating back to ancient times.

Family Background and Early Life

The Kiriacou family's shipping business was established in 1852 by Minos' father, Xenophon Kiriacou, a civil servant who served in the Greek Navy. During the civil war, Xenophon supported the partisans and opposed the government, which led to the family fleeing to Poland, where Minos' mother was from.

Minos received his secondary education in France and Switzerland. However, at the age of 17, he left his home, became a sailor, and traveled to Brazil and the United States. According to various sources, he even studied history at Columbia University. In 1965, at the age of 27, Minos founded Athenian Tankers Inc., a company that initially owned two small tankers transporting vegetable oil. Today, Kyriakou is considered the owner of one of the largest and most modern private fleets in the world.

Business and Investments

In addition to his shipping business, Minos Kyriakou has a wide range of business interests. He leads the investment company Euroholdings Capital & Investment Corp. and owns the media company Antenna Group, which includes Daphne Communications S.A. and Heaven Music, among others. He also owns two oil companies, Bacoil International and Athenian Oil Trading Inc., as well as the shipping company Athenian Sea Carriers Ltd. in Singapore. Kyriakou also has industrial enterprises in the United States and holds shares in Singapore Airlines. Moreover, he serves as the President of the Aegean Foundation.

Sports Involvement

Minos Kyriakou's sports interests include owning the Greek basketball club Panellinios. He also heads the Greek Olympic Committee and previously served as the President of the International Olympic Academy. In August 2003, Kyriakou was elected to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Personal Life and Recognition

In December 2004, at the age of 66, Minos married Greek actress Mari Konstantatou, who was 33 at the time. He has three children from his previous marriage: sons Xenophon and Theodore, and daughter Athina. Kyriakou is fluent in Greek, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, and Russian.

Minos Kyriakou has received several international awards, including the Polish Golden Cross for Merit, the Cypriot Golden Cross of St. George, the Cypriot Golden Medal of Honor, and the Singaporean Gold Star of Honor.

Legal Issues

Kyriakou has faced legal problems related to his land ownership and unauthorized construction. He owns four acres of land in Athens that encroach upon Areos Park. Additionally, some Panellinios club complexes were illegally built on land belonging to the Athens municipality and prefecture. In February 2007, he was convicted and sentenced to 48 months in prison without parole and fined €15,000 for unauthorized construction of cottages in San Aimilianos near Porto Cheli. The construction of the marina violated not only environmental regulations but also plans for future shoreline expansion. Kyriakou appealed the court's decision, and he was required to pay €100,000 until the appeal was heard.