Stelios Haji-Ioannou
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| Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou | |
|---|---|
 Stelios, 2009 |
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| Born | 14 February 1967 Athens, Greece |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics |
| Occupation | entrepreneur |
| Net worth | GBP £1.29 billion[1] |
| Spouse(s) | none |
| Children | none |
| Website www.stelios.com |
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Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou (Greek: Στέλιος Χατζηιωάννου), born 14 February 1967 in Athens, Greece, is a Greek born British entrepreneur best known for setting up EasyJet, a low-cost airline. He is of Greek Cypriot origins and is resident in London, Monaco and Athens.[2][3]
Haji-Ioannou resides in Monaco, which is considered a tax haven.[2]
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[edit] About
Haji-Ioannou, who prefers to be called by his first name, Stelios, is the second of three children of Loucas and Nedi Haji-Ioannou. He was born in Athens, Greece. His father's side has its roots in Pedoulas village (a village on the mountains of Cyprus), and his mother is from the Potsos family with roots in Lania village (just outside the city of Limassol). He was educated in Athens at the Doukas High School and in 1984 continued his education at the London School of Economics, graduating with a BSc Economics in 1987. He followed that up with an MSc in Shipping, Trade and Finance from Cass Business School at City University, London. Haji-Ioannou has also been awarded a total of four honorary doctorates from Liverpool John Moores University, Cass Business School,[4] Newcastle Business School[5] and Cranfield University.[6]
A serial entrepreneur, Haji-Ioannou started his professional career in 1988 working for his father's shipping company, the Troodos Shipping Co Ltd. Aged 25, he negotiated a $30 million payout from his father and used the funds to set up his own shipping company, Stelmar shipping.[7] Haji-Ioannou floated Stelmar Shipping on the NYSE in 2001 and in 2005 it was sold to the OSG Shipping Group for approximately $1.3 Billion.
Haji-Ioannou is also a known philanthropist, donating scholarships for ten undergraduate students each year over the course of ten years to study at his alma mater, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and ten postgraduate students at his other alma mater, City University, London.
[edit] The Easy empire
Haji-Ioannou started EasyJet PLC when he was 28. In 2000 EasyJet PLC was partially floated on the London Stock Exchange however Stelios remains the largest single shareholder.
Nowadays, acting through his private investment vehicle, the EasyGroup, which owns the 'Easy' brand and licenses it to the various 'Easy' branded ventures, including the airline. He continues to extend the brand, with mixed success, by creating new 'Easy' branded ventures in the areas of travel, leisure, telecoms and personal finance.
EasyJet PLC, which is one of Europe's largest low cost airlines by revenues with a fleet of 175 (+64 orders) Jets and growing, carried 33 million passengers in 2006. The travel related businesses also include:
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"It's the least desirable aspect, but I don't think people are too worried about windows."
—Stelios Haji-Ioannou, EasyGroup head, defending the windowless chambers in his London easyHotel, where rooms rent for £20 a night[8]
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- EasyCar, which offers low cost car rental in 2,000 locations globally[9]
- EasyCruise, which attracts younger age groups to go cruising to various parts of the world[10][11]
- EasyBus, which offers low cost bus transportation between airports and city centres[12]
- EasyHotel, which offers low cost accommodation in city centres[13]
The businesses outside the travel industry include Internet cafés, online price comparison, personal finance, cinema, male toiletries, online recruitment, pizza delivery, music downloads, mobile telephony, offices[14] and wrist watches.
In June 2006 Haji-Ioannou received a Knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for services to entrepreneurship.
[edit] Politics and Public Life
Haji-Ioannou is a member of the New Enterprise Council, a group set up to advise the Conservative Party on business policy. However he publicly stated at the time of his appointment that this did not reflect his political commitment to the party, and that instead "I agreed to be included in the group of entrepreneurs because I was assured it will be non-partisan.. [there is] not much difference between left and right any more."[15]
He is also thought to be looking to buy a football Club. This has been a very long term ambition for Stelios Haji-Loannou for years.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Sunday Times Rich List 2007". Sunday Times Rich List (The Times Newspaper). 29 Spril 2007. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/richlist/person/0,,46996,00.html. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ a b "The tax haven that today's super rich City commuters call home". 10 July 2006. http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1816834,00.html. Retrieved 28 June 2007.
- ^ "Hajiioannou, Stelios". Hellenism. http://www.hellenism.net/cgi-bin/display_celeb.html?c=92. Retrieved 28 June 2007.
- ^ "FT Innovate Speakers and bios". Financial Times. 2006. http://www.ftinnovate.com/2006/speakers.aspx?m_pid=0&m_nid=11963. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
- ^ "Top Honour for Stelios". Newcastle Business School. http://www.newcastlebusinessschool.co.uk/news-stelios.aspx. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
- ^ "Cranfield University 2006 - Honorary Graduates". University of Cranfield. http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/alumni/events/page1489.jsp. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
- ^ Morais, Richard (19 June 2001). "Proving Papa Wrong". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/2001/06/19/096.html. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ "Bizwatch". Time Magazine. 7 August 2005. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1090844,00.html. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ McAllister, J.F.O. (23 July 2001). "Easy All Over Europe". Time Magazine. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1000398,00.html. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ Carassava, Anthee (11 May 2007). "Stelios Hadji-Ioannou". Time Magazine. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1619553,00.html. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ Carassava, Anthee (17 April 2005). "Easy Does It on The High Seas". Time Magazine. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1050278,00.html. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ Smith, Adam (8 May 2005). "Livin' On Easy Street". Time Magazine. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1059003,00.html. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ Grose, Thomas (11 April 2007). "A Room with No View". Time Magazine. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1609075-2,00.html. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ "Stelios launches easyOffice.co.uk". Immo News. 1 May 2007. http://www.immo-news.net/Stelios-launches-easyOffice-co-uk_a2018.html. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ http://www.marketwatch.com/story/parties-clash-in-corporate-credentials-battle Parties clash in corporate credentials battle] MarketWatch, 15 November 2007
[edit] Further reading
- Walters, J (21 April 2002). "Making it all look easy". Comment (The Observer). http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,687834,00.html. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
- "Easyjet founder Stelios knighted". News (BBC). 16 June 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5087482.stm. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
- "Stelios Haji-Ioannou". Top Business Entrepreneurs. http://www.topbusinessentrepreneurs.com/22/Billionaires/Stelios-Haji-Ioannou.html. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
- Levine, G (8 July 2006). "Eclectic Empire: Haji-Ioannou's EasyJet Still Optimistic". Faces In The News (Forbes). http://www.forbes.com/facesinthenews/2006/08/07/discount-airlines-easyjet-cx_gl_0807autofacescan03.html. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
- Orton-Jones, C (25 October 2006). "I'll have what Stelios is having". Realbusiness. http://www.realbusiness.co.uk/search/4777681/ill-have-what-stelios-is-having.thtml. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
[edit] External links
- "Easy.Com EasyGroup homepage". http://easy.com Easy.Com. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
- "Stelios Philanthropic Foundation". http://www.stelios.com. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
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