Yannis Butaris
GreeceEarly Life and Education
Yanis Boutaris was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, the son of renowned winemaker Stelios Boutaris and Fanny Vlachou. He received his early education at the University of Aristotle Experimental School and later attended Anatolia College in his hometown. He went on to earn a degree in chemistry from Aristotle University.
Business and Environmentalism
From a young age, Boutaris was immersed in the wine industry. Following in his father's footsteps, he founded the successful KIR-YIANNI winery. In his youth, he had ties to the communist movement. In 2009, he co-founded the liberal political party Drasi and established the wildlife sanctuary "Arcturos," dedicated to the conservation of brown bears.
Political Career
In 2010, Boutaris successfully ran for mayor of Thessaloniki as a member of a coalition of PASOK, Democratic Left, and Drasi. He took office on January 1, 2011. Throughout his tenure, Boutaris has strongly opposed the far-right Golden Dawn party, famously rejecting a donation from the group, stating that "those who want to kill don't love nature."
