Vardis Vardinogiannis

Vardis Vardinogiannis
Born	Template:Birth date Episkopi, Rethymno, Crete, Greece
Died	November 12, 2024(2024-11-12) (aged 90) Athens, Greece
Occupation	Businessman
Known for	Chairman and majority shareholder of Motor Oil Hellas and Vegas Oil and Gas; influential figure in shipping industry

Vardis Vardinogiannis (; born 4 December 1933 – passed away 12 November 2024) was a prominent Greek billionaire known for his ventures in oil and shipping industries. He held the positions of chairman and majority shareholder at both Motor Oil Hellas and Vegas Oil and Gas, managing extensive operations in energy production and refining. His business activities also encompassed numerous maritime enterprises, solidifying his status within the shipping sector. Recognized by Lloyd's List as one of the Most Influential People in Shipping, he was also listed among Forbess The World's Billionaires, with his net worth estimated at approximately US$2.3 billion at the time of his death.

Early life

Born on 4 December 1933 in Episkopi, Rethymno, Crete, Vardinogiannis hailed from a farming family originating in Agios Ioannis, Sfakia. During the German occupation in World War II, he attended primary school under challenging conditions. After the war, he relocated to Athens and graduated from the Hellenic Naval Academy in 1955, commissioning as an officer in the Greek Navy. His military career was interrupted during the Greek military junta (1967–1974), when he faced forced retirement and exile due to his opposition to the regime.

Business interests

Vardinogiannis expanded his family's enterprises starting in the 1970s, notably forming a partnership with Aramco during the 1990s. The family's holdings span a range of sectors including petroleum, shipping, banking, media, real estate, hospitality, publishing, and philanthropic endeavors. By 2015, their portfolio comprised investments in 98 companies both within Greece and internationally.

Among their maritime assets was the merchant vessel Ioanna V, which in 1966 defied the UN and British embargo by delivering oil to Beira port in Mozambique; this port was connected via pipeline to Rhodesia, resulting in considerable financial gain.

The family's business grew steadily over subsequent decades. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, they secured contracts for constructing highways in Ukraine and Georgia. Furthermore, Vardis was one of five founders behind Teletypos, which launched Mega Channel—the first private television broadcaster in Greece—in November 1989.

Personal life and death

In 1961, Vardinogiannis married Marianna Bournaki, with whom he had five children, including Giannis Vardinogiannis. He was also brother to shipping magnate Yiorgos Vardinogiannis, former president of Panathinaikos F.C..

On 20 November 1990, an assassination attempt on Vardinogiannis by the Revolutionary Organization 17 November failed due to his use of a heavily armored vehicle.

Both Vardis and Marianna were founding members of the Robert Kennedy Human Rights Leadership Council alongside notable figures such as Bill Clinton. The family hosted significant events including Rory Kennedy’s wedding to Mark Bailey at their mansion in Ekali, Athens, as well as Courtney Kennedy’s 1993 wedding aboard Vardinogiannis’s luxury yacht Varmar.

He passed away in Athens on 12 November 2024 at age ninety.