Evangelos Marinakis

Lore & Background

Evangelos Marinakis was born in Piraeus, the only son of shipowner and politician Miltiadis Marinakis. He entered the Greek shipping industry in 2005 by founding Capital Maritime & Trading Corp. He later acquired a majority stake in Olympiacos in 2010, becoming its president, and purchased English club Nottingham Forest in 2017 and Portuguese club Rio Ave in 2023. In 2016, he entered the Greek media sector with Alter Ego Media S.A., which acquired Lambrakis Press Group in 2017.

Marinakis has been a municipal councillor of Piraeus since 2014, elected with the Piraeus Victor party. His shipping career includes founding and chairing Capital Maritime Group, which managed over 146 vessels by 2025. He has been listed by Lloyd's List among the 100 most influential people in shipping since 2010, ranking 10th in 2025. He also served as chairman of NYSE-listed Crude Carriers Corp. and Capital Product Partners L.P.

Marinakis has faced controversial allegations including match-fixing and referee interference in football, as well as involvement in the Noor 1 ship case, but was acquitted in all related cases. He is personally connected to politician Dora Bakoyannis, having been best man at her wedding and she the godmother of his son.

Reader's Guide

Evangelos Marinakis is significant as a multifaceted Greek business figure whose influence spans shipping, football, and media. In shipping, he built Capital Maritime into a major global fleet operator, with notable milestones including a $1.65 billion tanker merger and a $500 million IPO in 2026. His football ownership brought Olympiacos its first European trophy in 2024 and returned Nottingham Forest to the Premier League after 23 years. However, his career is marked by persistent controversy: allegations of match-fixing and referee interference, though he was acquitted in all cases, and his labeling as a Greek oligarch reflect the contentious nature of his public profile. His entry into media via Alter Ego Media and his role as a Piraeus municipal councillor further illustrate his broad reach. Marinakis's legacy is thus a blend of commercial success, sporting achievement, and unresolved public skepticism.

Did You Know?

• Marinakis was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in June 2024.
• He was best man at the wedding of politician Dora Bakoyannis in 1998, and she became godmother to his son.
• In May 2024, Olympiacos became the first Greek club to win a European competition, the UEFA Europa Conference League.
• Marinakis was absent from approximately 80 of 104 municipal council meetings during his first term in Piraeus.