Forbes has issued its list of the 50 wealthiest Greeks.
Bavangelis Marinakis, the influential figure at Olympiakos FC, is ranked fourth, 34 places ahead of the Vardinogiannis family and 36 spaces ahead of Panathinaikos president Giannis Alafouzos.
Maria Angelikios has a fleet of 145 vessels and builds over 20 for her firms, Maran Tanker, Maran Gas, and Maran Dry. She is regarded as the top shipowner in the Greek maritime industry. The Group’s dedication to the Greek flag is clear, as they possess 119 of the 806 ships registered under it, accounting for 14.7% of the total.
When Maria Angelikousi accepted the Ship of the Year award for her dual-fuel VLCC “Antonis I. Angelicoussis” at the Lloyd’s Awards in December 2023, she commented, “The Angelikousi Group has always been and will remain a Greek family business.” It is a fundamental component of our DNA. “We believe in Greece. Notably, this ship flies the Greek flag.
Antonis Angelikousis, born in 1918 in Kardamyla, Chios, began his nautical career at a young age. Following his courageous actions during World War II, he delved into shipping in 1949-50, spending his funds, and within 20 years had become one of the most powerful shipowners on Miaouli Street. Notably, during the 1980s shipping crisis, he was one of the few shipowners who refused to lower the Greek flag on their vessels.
Antonis was a visionary. He worked with American Express to develop a ship ownership and management company, as well as raised cash for ship acquisitions from the worldwide market. He died in 1989 at the age of 71, leaving the company to his son, Antonis, who expertly enlarged it without seeking public market funding.
The family’s fleet increased steadily, propelling it to a prominent position in Greek shipping. The Angelikousi Group employs approximately 300 young Greek cadets each year, bringing the total to more than 1,200 across sea and land, making it a market leader in hiring Greek cadets.
Following the death of Giannis Angelikousis, his daughter Maria now leads the group. While learning from her father, Maria runs the company in her own unique style, handpicking her team of collaborators.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Maria Angelikousi is currently the world’s second richest Greek woman, worth $5.7 billion, trailing only Vicky Safra. She prefers hard work and letting her accomplishments speak for themselves over displaying wealth. She married a Serbian prince, a descendant of Serbia’s previous King Karađorđević, and they have one kid together.