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href="/web/20200812150341/https://www.snf.org/en/about/board-of-directors/">BOARD OF DIRECTORS</a><a href="/web/20200812150341/https://www.snf.org/en/about/executive-management/">EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT</a><a href="/web/20200812150341/https://www.snf.org/en/about/staff/">STAFF</a><a href="/web/20200812150341/https://www.snf.org/en/about/advisors/">ADVISORS</a><a href="/web/20200812150341/https://www.snf.org/en/about/faqs/">FAQs</a></nav> </aside> <div class="content"> <header> <h1>OUR FOUNDER</h1> </header> <div class="description"> <p><strong>Stavros S. Niarchos: His Life & Achievements</strong></p> <div><img src="/web/20200812150341im_/https://www.snf.org/texts/uploads/images/bio_illustrated.jpg" alt="sports illustrated" class="inlineImageLeft"/> Stavros Spyros Niarchos was born July 3, 1909 in Athens.聽His family had its roots in the <a href="/web/20200812150341/https://www.snf.org/en/initiatives/other/vamvakou-revitalization-laying-a-foundation-for-the-revival-of-a-greek-village/" title="Vamvakou Revitalization: Laying a Foundation for the Revival of a Greek village">Laconian village of Vamvakou</a>, in the Peloponnese.聽He studied law at the University of Athens and began working in 1929 in his family鈥檚 grain business.聽Recognizing the substantial transportation expense in importing wheat, Niarchos believed that one would save money by owning the ships that provided the transportation. Consequently, he bought his first six freighters during the Great Depression.聽<br/><br/>Niarchos served in the Greek Navy during World War II.聽He participated in the Allied operations in Normandy and was awarded, among other distinguished service medals, the Commander of the Order of the Phoenix in 1977, the Royal Order of King George I, and the Royal House Order of SS George and Constantine. While Niarchos was serving in the Greek Navy, the Allied Forces leased his first vessel. The ship was destroyed in battle, and Niarchos used the insurance funds as capital to expand his fleet after the War.聽Thus began the emergence of Stavros Niarchos as a significant participant in the world of international commerce. For many years, he owned the largest private fleet in the world, with his company operating more than 80 tankers and other vessels.<br/><br/><img src="/web/20200812150341im_/https://www.snf.org/texts/uploads/images/bio_time.jpg" alt="time" class="inlineImageLeft"/>In 1956, Niarchos agreed to build and operate the Hellenic Shipyards, the first such private investment in Greece, which rapidly became the largest Mediterranean shipyard. In 1985, the shipyard was placed under state control, but Niarchos麓s commitment to Greece still stands today as an effective demonstration of the power of private investment for the country鈥檚 economic well-being.聽<br/><br/>Stavros Niarchos understood the meaning of thinking and acting globally long before the term globalization became so prominent. His business operations began in Greece, the country of his birth and heritage, yet his accomplishments were notable worldwide. Although he was known predominantly for his shipping business, Niarchos鈥檚 diversified financial activities were at the core of the global economy from the time he formed the Niarchos Group in 1939 until his death in 1996. He was considered one of the most innovative and successful businessmen of the twentieth century.<em><br/></em></div> <div></div> <div>Niarchos鈥檚 legacy continues into the twenty-first century with the establishment of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. Working in Greece and internationally, the Foundation began its grantmaking efforts in 1996, and it derives its mission from Niarchos麓s commitment to Greece and Hellenism, as well as his keen instincts and interests in support of causes in the fields of education, social welfare, health, and arts and culture.</div> <p>By designating a significant part of his estate to establish the <a href="/web/20200812150341/https://www.snf.org/en/about/history-mission/" title="HISTORY & MISSION">Stavros Niarchos Foundation</a>, Stavros Niarchos created an enduring vehicle to enriching the lives of others worldwide.</p> <p>In 2016, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation <a href="/web/20200812150341/https://www.snf.org/en/newsroom/news/2016/11/stavros-niarchos-foundation-20-years-of-grantmaking-activity/" title="Stavros Niarchos Foundation: 20 years of grantmaking activity">celebrated its 20th year anniversary</a>, fulfilling the original purpose of its establishment: to contribute, with all the means at its disposal, to the improvement of the lives of those less privileged and to support organizations and projects that are expected to achieve a broad, lasting and positive impact for society at large.</p> <p><em><strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/18/world/stavros-niarchos-greek-shipping-magnate-archrival-onassisis-dead-86.html" target="_blank">Link to New York Times' Obituary of Stavros S. Niarchos</a> (04/18/1996)</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>聽</strong></em></p> </div> <div class="gallery"> <div class="royalSlider imageGallery rsDefault"> <div><img src="/web/20200812150341im_/https://www.snf.org/media/167886/594_7_Responsive.jpg" data-big-src="/media/167886/594_7.jpg" title="Copyright: SNF" alt="Copyright: SNF"><div class="caption">Copyright: SNF</div> </div> <div><img src="/web/20200812150341im_/https://www.snf.org/media/167896/594_8_Responsive.jpg" data-big-src="/media/167896/594_8.jpg" title="Copyright: SNF" alt="Copyright: SNF"><div class="caption">Copyright: SNF</div> </div> <div><img src="/web/20200812150341im_/https://www.snf.org/media/2712717/st-niarchos_Responsive.jpg" data-big-src="/media/2712717/st-niarchos.jpg" title="Copyright: SNF" alt="Copyright: SNF"><div class="caption">Copyright: SNF</div> </div> </div> <ul class="paging"> <li><a href="#" class="prev"><</a></li> <li><span class="current"></span> of <span class="total"></span></li> <li><a href="#" class="next">></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <aside class="additional-data"> </aside> <div class="content"> <div class="share-actions"><div class="fb-like" data-href="http://www.snf.org/en/about/founder/" data-layout="button_count" data-action="like" data-show-faces="false" data-share="true"></div><span class="separate">|</span><a href="#" class="print">print</a><span class="separate">|</span><a class="send" href="/web/20200812150341/https://www.snf.org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8cb3eee3e8f5b1e4f8f8fcb6a3a3fbfbfba2ffe2eaa2e3feeba3e9e2a3edeee3f9f8a3eae3f9e2e8e9fea3aaede1fcb7fff9eee6e9eff8b1cac3d9c2c8c9de"> send</a><span>聽聽聽this page</span></div> </div> </main> <footer> <div class="new"> <div class="social"> <div class="title"><strong>Connect</strong> with us </div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/https://www.facebook.com/SNFoundation" class="fb" target="_blank">facebook</a><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/https://twitter.com/SNForg" class="tw" target="_blank">twitter</a><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/https://www.youtube.com/StavrosNiarchosF" class="yt" target="_blank">youtube</a><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/https://www.instagram.com/snforg/" class="in" target="_blank">Instagram</a><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/https://www.linkedin.com/company/snforg" class="li" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></div> <div class="notice new"><img src="/web/20200812150341im_/https://www.snf.org/images/logo-footer.png" class="logo-footer" alt="Stavros Niarchos Foundation"><p><img src="/web/20200812150341im_/https://www.snf.org/images/logo-snfcc.png" class="logo-snfcc" alt="Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center"><span class="snf-notice">The SNF does not necessarily share the views or opinions of the charitable organizations which it may choose to fund or otherwise assist, and no inference of any endorsement of such views or opinions as a consequence of any action the SNF may take in pursuit of its charitable purposes is warranted. <p> Auditors: Deloitte</span></p> <div class="disclaimer"><a href="/web/20200812150341/https://www.snf.org/en/disclaimer/">PRIVACY & TERMS OF USE</a><span class="separator">|</span><a href="/web/20200812150341/https://www.snf.org/en/contact-footer/">CONTACT US</a><span class="separator">|</span><a href="/web/20200812150341/https://www.snf.org/en/sitemap/">SITEMAP</a><span class="copyright">Stavros Niarchos Foundation</span></div> </div> <div class="rest"> <div class="newsletter"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/http://eepurl.com/dwQKWD" target="_blank"><strong>Join</strong> our Newsletter 禄 </a></div> <div class="social"> <div class="title"><strong>Connect</strong> with us </div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/https://www.facebook.com/SNFoundation" class="fb" target="_blank">facebook</a><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/https://twitter.com/SNForg" class="tw" target="_blank">twitter</a><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/https://www.youtube.com/StavrosNiarchosF" class="yt" target="_blank">youtube</a><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/https://www.instagram.com/snforg/" class="in" target="_blank">Instagram</a><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/https://www.linkedin.com/company/snforg" class="li" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></div> </div> </div> </footer> <script data-cfasync="false" src="/web/20200812150341js_/https://www.snf.org/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script><script> (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//web.archive.org/web/20200812150341/https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); 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