Pericles Panagopoulos
{{Short description|Greek shipping magnate (1935–2019)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Pericles Panagopoulos
| birth_date = {{birth date|1935|12|29|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2019|2|5|1935|12|29|df=yes}}
| occupation = Businessman
| spouse = Katerina Nafplioti Panagopoulos
| children = Alexander Panagopoulos
Irene Panagopoulos
| nationality = Greek
}}
Pericles Panagopoulos (29 December 1935 – 5 February 2019) was a Greek shipping magnate. He is considered to have been an institutor of the modern shipping industry,{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsbeast.gr/greece/arthro/4502784/teleytaio-antio-ston-perikli-panagopoylo|title=Τελευταίο αντίο στον Περικλή Παναγόπουλο|language=el|access-date=2019-02-08|date=2019-02-08|work=newsbeast}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ert.gr/roi-idiseon/pethane-o-efoplistis-periklis-panagopoylos/|title=Πέθανε ο εφοπλιστής Περικλής Παναγόπουλος|last=Παπαστεφάνου|first=Βιβή|date=2019-02-05|website=ert.gr|language=el|access-date=2019-02-08|archive-date=2019-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209130113/https://www.ert.gr/roi-idiseon/pethane-o-efoplistis-periklis-panagopoylos/|url-status=dead}} and the most successful Greek shipping magnate since Aristotle Onassis.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-press/20090114/281865819349493|title=Gang Kidnaps Magnate|website=The Press New Zealand via Press Reader|access-date=2019-01-02}} He gained acclaim for having created three shipping business entities, in his lifetime. In 1989, he sold Royal Cruise Lines to Kloster for a reported US$300 million (US$607 million as converted in 2019).{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/attica-enterprises-s-a-history/|title=History of Attica Enterprises S.A. – FundingUniverse|website=www.fundinguniverse.com}} In 2007, he sold his Athens-based Attica Group for about US$404 million to Marfin Investment Group (MIG).http://www.interferry.com/panagopulos-sells-attica/ {{Dead link|date=February 2022}} He also owns Magna Marine Inc., a modern shipping company that owns and runs modern bulk carriers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.magna-marine.com/en/history.html|title=Magna Marine|website=www.magna-marine.com|access-date=2019-02-21}} His death was announced by his wife, on Facebook on February 5, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.protothema.gr/greece/article/861821/pethane-o-efoplistis-periklis-panagopoulos/|title=Πέθανε ο εφοπλιστής Περικλής Παναγόπουλος|date=5 February 2019|website=ProtoThema}}{{Cite web|url=https://greece.greekreporter.com/2019/02/05/shipping-magnate-pericles-panagopoulos-dies-at-83/|title=Shipping Magnate Pericles Panagopoulos Dies at 83 {{!}} GreekReporter.com|last=Kampouris|first=Nick|date=5 February 2019|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-05}}
Early life
Panagopoulos was born in a nursing home in Athens. His father built hotel Veto in Athens. The hotel was taken over by Nazi officers in WWII, during the Axis occupation of Greece. After five months of hospitalization, his father died, following a violent attack by the Nazi occupiers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.europeanbusinessreview.eu/page.asp?pid=609|title=Pericles Panagopoulos - Blue Star Ferries - Interviews - EBR|website=European Business Review|access-date=2019-01-02}} Leaving the young Pericles and his two half-brothers to be brought up by his widowed mother from Constantinople.
Career
In 1972 in partnership with Barney A. Ebsworth, he formed Royal Cruise Line. The m/s Golden Odyssey was the company's first cruise ship. Built in Helsingor Shipyard and delivered in 1974, she was designed to carry 450 passengers as this was the capacity of the 747 Jumbo Jet airplane. The company grew with the addition of the 850-passenger Royal Odyssey in 1982 and the 1000-passenger Crown Odyssey in 1988 before getting acquired by Kloster Cruises in 1989. In 1993, Pericles Panagopoulos co-founded with his son Alexander Panagopoulos, Superfast Ferries, as part of the Attica Group, an Athens-listed holding corporation.
In 2009 he was kidnapped by armed men in Athens.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/greece/4293516/Kidnappers-free-Greek-shipping-tycoon-Pericles-Panagopoulos.html|title=Kidnappers free Greek shipping tycoon Pericles Panagopoulos|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=20 January 2009|access-date=18 September 2018|language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |title= Kidnappers free elderly Greek shipping magnate |newspaper= Associated Press |url-access=|access-date= September 24, 2014 |date= January 20, 2009 |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-D95QSHC00.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924041535/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-D95QSHC00.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 24, 2015 }}{{Cite news |title= Anger outside parliament |newspaper= The Star |url-access= |access-date= September 24, 2014 |date= January 21, 2009 |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-192394943.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924150316/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-192394943.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 24, 2015 }}{{Cite news |title= Greek shipowner reportedly kidnapped|newspaper= Associated Press |url-access=|access-date= September 24, 2014 |date= January 12, 2009 |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-D95LI27O0.htmll }}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{Cite news |title= Greek police arrest 10 crime gang suspects|newspaper= Associated Press |url-access= |access-date= September 24, 2014 |date= July 4, 2009 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-D997JN2G1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924041615/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-D997JN2G1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 24, 2015 }}{{Cite news |title= Shipping magnate freed by kidnappers; world news bulletin|newspaper= Western Mail |url-access= |access-date= September 24, 2014 |date= January 21, 2009 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-192380276.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924150314/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-192380276.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 24, 2015 }}{{Cite news |title= Bomb explodes outside Athens home of prosecutor|newspaper= Associated Press |url-access= |access-date= September 24, 2014 |date= November 22, 2012 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-6e2203d5d60d4a55be8fc27137f8b0ef.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924030246/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-6e2203d5d60d4a55be8fc27137f8b0ef.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 24, 2015 }}{{Cite news |title= Wife of Greek kidnap victim asks to take his place|newspaper= Associated Press |url-access= |access-date= September 24, 2014 |date= January 16, 2009 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-D95OFKH80.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924041533/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-D95OFKH80.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 24, 2015 }}{{cite news|title=Gang behind Ship-Owner Kidnapping|url=http://www.greeknewsonline.com/gang-behind-ship-owner-kidnapping/|access-date=25 September 2014|newspaper=Greek News|date=9 July 2009}}{{cite news|title='Record ransom' paid for Greek magnate|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/greece/4297530/Record-ransom-paid-for-Greek-magnate.html|access-date=25 September 2014|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=20 January 2009}} The kidnapping was orchestrated from prison by Greek crime boss Panagiotis Vlastos, who later made a failed attempt to escape prison, with a helicopter armed with improvised explosive devices and AK-47s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/02/24/greece-helicopter-prison-escape/1943889/|title=Dramatic helicopter escape from Greek prison foiled|website=USA TODAY|language=en|access-date=2019-01-02}}
His family paid a ransom of €30 million (approximately $39 million) to secure Panagopoulos's release.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/best-law-firms/profile-legal/article/wife-pays-euro30m-for-freedom-of-greek-tycoon-pericles-panagopoulos-v57cjc8g7ss|title=Wife pays €30m for freedom of Greek tycoon Pericles Panagopoulos|last=Athens|first=John Carr in|date=2009-01-21|work=The Times|access-date=2019-01-02|language=en|issn=0140-0460}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/greece-kidnapping-idUSLK19692420090120|title=UPDATE 3-Kidnappers free Greek tycoon for 30 mln euro ransom|date=2009-01-20|work=Reuters|access-date=2019-01-02|language=en}} The ransom was reported by Greek police to be the highest ever paid.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/whopping-ransom-paid-for-shipping-tycoon-20090121-7m7y.html|title=Whopping ransom paid for shipping tycoon|date=2009-01-21|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2019-01-02}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Panagopoulos, Pericles}}
Category:2000s missing person cases
Category:20th-century Greek businesspeople
Category:21st-century Greek businesspeople
Category:Businesspeople from Athens
Category:Formerly missing people
Category:Greek businesspeople in shipping
Category:Greek chief executives
Category:Kidnapped businesspeople
Category:Missing person cases in Greece
Category:Place of birth missing
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