Thanasis Giannakopoulos
| Thanasis Giannakopoulos Θανάσης Γιαννακόπουλος | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Thanasis Giannakopoulos 1931 Athens Greece |
| Residence | Athens Greece |
| Nationality |
 Greece |
| Occupation | businessman |
| Board member of | Vianex |
| Religion | Greek Orthodox |
| Relatives |
Pavlos Giannakopoulos (Brother) Dimitrios Giannakopoulos (Nephew) |
Thanasis Giannakopoulos (born in 1931) (Greek: Θανάσης Γιαννακόπουλος) is a Greek businessman, and a former pro sports club owner. His family has an estimated net worth of a €1 billion business empire.
Vianex
Giannakopoulos and his brother, Pavlos, are the owners of the pharmaceutical corporation Vianex, which was originally founded in 1924, by their father, Dimitrios Giannakopoulos, as a small local import and distribution firm.[1] Vianex currently manufactures and markets, in Greece and elsewhere, a variety of products, in collaboration with leading international firms. The company reported net sales of €240.2 million euros in 2012.[2]
In 2006, Pavlos' personal fortune was estimated to be €400 million euros, one half of the Giannakopoulos brothers' €800 million euros business empire.
Panathinaikos Athens
From 1987 to 2012, the Giannakopoulos brothers managed Panathinaikos B.C., Panathinaikos V.C., and all of the Panathinaikos club's amateur sports sections, from the athletics department to the water polo department. Thanasis was also the Chairman of the volleyball and amateur sections. Their involvement with the club brought Panathinaikos' basketball team their greatest successes, in both domestic and European competitions.
Thanasis was also President of the basketball club, from 2002 to 2012. Through 2012, Panathinaikos had won 13 out of the last 15 Greek Basket League championships (excluding the 2001–02, and 2011–12 seasons) and the EuroLeague championship in the years 1996, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011.[3] The club, during that time, also featured some of the best basketball players from Greece, along with star players from abroad, such as Byron Scott, Dominique Wilkins and Dejan Bodiroga.
The basketball section of the club alone had a reported budget of €35 million in 2009. In 2011, Thanasis and his brother Pavlos, won the EuroLeague Club Executive of the Year Award.[4] In 2012, Thanasis' nephew, Dimitris Giannakopoulos, the son of his brother, Pavlos, took over control of Panathinaikos B.C..
Other
Nicknamed as typhoon (tyfonas) for his emotional character, Thanasis is also famous for his multi-coloured neckties, with many flowers on them.