Giannis Vardinogiannis

Yannis Vardinoyannis[1]
Born	(1962-04-07) 7 April 1962 (age 62) Portsmouth, UK
Alma mater	Vassar College
Occupation(s)	Businessman and shipowner[2]
Board member of	Chairman & CEO, Motor Oil Hellas[3] Chaiman & CEO, Avin International S.A.[4] CEO, Vegas Oil and Gas
Spouse	Mellissa Gromel
Children	3
Parent(s)	Vardis Vardinoyannis Marianna Vardinoyannis

Yannis Vardinoyannis (Greek: Γιάννης Βαρδινογιάννης, born 7 April 1962)[1] is a Greek billionaire shipping magnate, the eldest son of the late Vardis Vardinoyannis[2] and of the late UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Marianna Vardinoyannis. He is included in the Lloyd's List Most influential people in the shipping industry.

Early life and career

Yannis Vardinoyannis was born in 1962[5] to Vardis Vardinoyannis and Marianna Vardinoyannis. He is of Cretan descent.

After graduating from the Athens College preparatory school, he majored in economics at Vassar College in the United States.

In May 1996, he married Mellissa Gromel. They have three sons, Vardis, Andreas, and Maximos.[6]

He has been active in sports as he is a former car rally champion and a key person in the Greek football.

Vardinoyannis is a key person in the Vardinoyannis group of companies.[7] The family controls Motor Oil Hellas, where Vardinoyannis is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,[5] while he is also serving as Chairman and CEO in Avin Oil.[8] In the past he served as non-executive board member in Piraeus Bank[9] until June 2012.[10]

He is the principal shareholder of the Cairo-based Vegas Oil and Gas.

Business activities

Vardinoyannis joined the family business in the mid-1980s. In 2005 he joined the Board of Directors of Motor Oil Hellas and was appointed Executive Vice President in 2009. On January 2021 he was appointed CEO and, following the passing of Vardis Vardinoyannis, Chairman of the Board on November 2024[5].

He is credited for initiating the diversification of Motor Oil Hellas, by launching activities in the renewable energy sources sector.[11]

In early 2024, More subsidiary completed the acquisition of Anemos RES and acquired a portfolio of 2.2 GW in renewables. Moreover, the group has active engagements in waste management and cyclical economy. As a result, in May 2024 the stock of Motor Oil Hellas reached an all-time high, bringing the valuation of the company to EUR 3 billion.

In 2018, he initiated the project for the transformation of the Investment Bank of Greece (IBG),[12] which in the meantime had been acquired by Motor Oil Hellas. IBG was renamed to Optima Bank and listed on Athens Stock Exchange on 4 October 2023 and joined FTSE25 index on 23 December 2024.[13] In October 2024 a company controlled by Yannis Vardinoyannis announced a EUR 475 million investment in tourism and hospitality in Greece.[14] Furthermore, he is active in Greece and abroad in various sectors, including shipping, upstream, and real estate.

Sports-related activities

In motor sports, he announced in early February 2024 the establishment of the private rally team Cyclon Rally Sport.[15] In the past he had seven participations in the international Acropolis Rally from 1986 to 1992. He was the first Greek driver in Acropolis Rally for five years from 1988 to 1992.[16] He won the Greek Rally title six times (1987 to 1992), driving Lancia Delta, with co-driver Kostas Stefanis.

In the summer of 2000, then President of Panathinaikos, Yiorgos Vardinoyannis stepped down and sold his share to Yannis Vardinoyannis. The latter changed the style of management into the club, while he continued working with the companies controlled by the family. In 2005, he was one of the founding members of the Greek Super League and elected president in 2007,[17] being credited for his efforts to achieve European league standards in Greece. He stepped down in 2008.[18] On 22 April 2008, he announced the decision of the Vardinoyannis family to reduce their share in Panathinaikos Football Club to 50%[19] – after 30 years of full ownership – through an €80 million increase of the company's capital stock. After the negotiations and the share capital increase, the family would hold 56% of the club, Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos 10% and the rest of the shareholders 34%. The family finally withdrew from Panathinaikos in 2012. Under the chairmanship of Yannis Vardinoyannis, Panathinaikos F.C. reached the quarter-finals in Champions League in 2001–2002 and the quarter-finals in UEFA Cup in 2002–2003. The club won the Greek Football Championship and the Greek Cup in the years 2004, and 2010.

Political views

In February 2015, Vardinoyannis said in a statement to Reuters that the new Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras had a valid point in attacking corrupt Greek oligarchs.[20]

References

1. Christiano (26 January 2015). "Η ζωή του Τζίγγερ μακριά από τον Παναθηναϊκό". Retrieved 1 August 2018.
2. "Greek family businesses - five notable ones — Family Capital". Archived from the original on 14 March 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
3. "Motor Oil". www.moh.gr.
4. "Ioannis Vardinoyannis, Motor Oil Hellas Corinth Refineries SA: Profile & Biography – Bloomberg". Bloomberg. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
5. "Organizational Structure – Motor Oil". Retrieved 16 December 2024.
6. "ΓΙΑΝΝΗΣ ΒΑΡΔΙΝΟΓΙΑΝΝΗΣ". ΤΟ ΒΗΜΑ (in Greek). 25 November 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
7. "Vardinoyannis EMPIRE". Tradewindsnews.com. 4 February 1999. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
8. "ABOUT AVIN – AVIN OIL". Retrieved 17 December 2024.
9. "Οι βασικοί μέτοχοι Κωστόπουλος, Λάτσης, Βαρδινογιάννης μηδένισαν στις ελληνικές τράπεζες, αντικαταστάθηκαν από funds" (in Greek). bankingnews.gr. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
10. "Constitution of the Board of Directors". Piraeus Holdings. 29 June 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
11. "Τα ιστορικά υψηλά και το μεγάλο... "πρασίνισμα" της Motor Oil". www.naftemporiki.gr (in Greek). 25 May 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
12. Wiseman, The (2 December 2018). "Οι κινήσεις του Γιάννη Βαρδινογιάννη για την IBG και το γεύμα με τον Γ. Στουρνάρα - Mononews.gr". Αποκαλυπτικό ρεπορτάζ, αρθρογραφία και άμεση ενημέρωση, με όλα τα τελευταία νέα και ειδήσεις για την Οικονομία, τις Επιχειρήσεις, το Χρηματιστήριο, το Bitcoin, τις πολιτικές εξελίξεις και τον πολιτισμό (in Greek). Retrieved 8 January 2025.
13. "Optima Bank: Με "ταχύτητα" 64,87% στον FTSE 25". euro2day.gr. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
14. "Hydra Rock Unveils €475 Million Tourism Investment Plan in Greece". 18 October 2024.
15. Παπαδόπουλος, Γιάννης-Μάριος (6 February 2024). "Traction Rally Team: Παίρνει σάρκα και οστά! (video)". Apex Sports (in Greek). Retrieved 17 December 2024.
16. "Rally Acropolis Hall Of Fame: "Τζίγκερ" - 4troxoi.gr" (in Greek). 23 February 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
17. "Νέος πρόεδρος στη Σούπερ Λίγκα ο Γιάννης Βαρδινογιάννης". in.gr (in Greek). 14 June 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
18. tmargaritis (24 June 2022). "Η λίστα των προέδρων Super League 1". ο Φίλαθλος (in Greek). Retrieved 17 December 2024.
19. newsroom, sport-fm. ""Κρατάω το 50%, όλοι ευπρόσδεκτοι"". sport-fm.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 17 December 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
20. Grey, Stephen (17 February 2015). "Insight – PM Tsipras declares war at home on Greece's 'oligarchs'". Uk.reuters.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.