Dimitrios Giannakopoulos

Dimitrios Giannakopoulos Δημήτρης Γιαννακόπουλος
Born	Dimitrios Giannakopoulos 1974 Athens, Greece
Residence	Athens, Greece
Nationality	Greek
Occupation	Owner of DPG Group Vice President of Vianex Owner of Panathinaikos B.C. Owner of Sparta F.C.
Religion	Greek Orthodox
Parent(s)	Pavlos Giannakopoulos (father)
Relatives	Thanasis Giannakopoulos (uncle)
Website	http://www.vianex.gr/

Dimitrios P. Giannakopoulos (alternate spellings: Dimitris Giannacopoulos) (Greek: Δημήτρης Π. Γιαννακόπουλος) is a Greek businessman, vice-president of the Board of Directors and Deputy CEO of VIANEX and major shareholder of Greek Basket League club Panathinaikos Athens.^[1]

Biographical information

Dimitris Giannakopoulos is Pavlos Giannakopoulos’ son and Thanasis Giannakopoulos’s nephew, owners of VIANEX, the largest Greek pharmaceutical company today. The family’s engagement in the pharmaceutical sector began with his grandfather, Dimitris Giannakopoulos from Sellasia in Laconia, who in 1924 opened a pharmacy in the centre of Athens.

In 1971, Pavlos Giannakopoulos founded VIANEX. In 2012, despite the Greek financial crisis, the company announced net sales of up to €240,200,000. He is now the heir of the dynasty built by his father and his uncles, including both VIANEX and Panathinaikos B.C., marking the emergence of the new generation in particularly difficult times. In 2004, he was made first vice-president at VIANEX, while since January 2012, he has also assumed the office of Deputy CEO.^[1]

He is married to Ioanna Marosouli, with whom he has two children.

Business activity

Dimitris Giannakopoulos took on the family business from his father, Pavlos, in January 2012, when he became Deputy CEO, additionally to being vice-president of the Board of Directors of VIANEX.

The company entered the new era under Dimitris Giannakopoulos' management, that was connected with the increase of openness and the conclusion of important deals, either new ones or renewals of old ones. In July 2013, on the occasion of the announcement of the cooperation between VIANEX and Eli Lilly, for the production of the inject-able antibiotic Vancomycin on the premises of VIANEX in China, and the export of 100% of the production to the Chinese market, Pavlos Giannakopoulos stated: "I handed over to him the reigns of the largest Greek pharmaceutical company in the country, and I am convinced he will someday turn it into the largest pharmaceutical company even abroad". VIANEX's goals include expansion to other foreign markets as well, such as South Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and Arabic countries.^[2][3]

VIANEX received an award for its export orientation in the Active Greece Awards 2015. Furthermore, its portfolio comprises other significant awards, such as the Diamonds of the Greek Economy business award in 2013 and 2015, as well as Salux Index 2014. It is worth mentioning also the award in the Health & Safety Awards 2015, for the best practices in Health and Security in the workplace. The company won the "VIANEX Integrated Health and Safety Quality Program", the ultimate distinction in the "Pharmaceutical Companies" business sector.^[4][5][6]

As Dimitris Giannakopoulos has stated to the press on numerous occasions, VIANEX neither let any employees go, nor did it decrease salaries, despite the financial crisis in Greece. The economic size of VIANEX shrunk; however, its employees "have stood by the company and contributed to achieving high profits over the last years. Thus we, the management, are obligated to support our people, regardless of the economic performance", Dimitris Giannakopoulos stated in 2012.^[7][8][9]

Social contribution

Dimitris Giannakopoulos has engaged in a series of important initiatives with the intention to contribute to Greek society through VIANEX, Panathinaikos B.C., and the electronic media company DPG Group, which he also owns.

To raise awareness among the population, regarding the issue of cardiovascular disease, VIANEX donated 15,000 bad cholesterol tests within the context of the extended Panhellenic Patient Support Project "Measure LDL with us", under the auspices of the Hellenic Society of Lipidology, Atherosclerosis and Vascular Disease (E.E.L.I.A.).^[10]

Also, VIANEX donated 300 vaccines to the Social Clinic and Pharmacy of the diocese of Arkalochori, Kastelli & Viannos, and the Municipality of Minoa Pediadas in Crete, aiming to defend child health, as well as safeguard public health. DPG offered support to the Mitera - Centre for Child Protection of Attica; its people visited the infant centre and the dormitories of the premises, to give away presents for Christmas, such as candy, clothes, shoes, Sudocream lotions, as well as Panathinaikos blankets from the PAO Shop.^[11][12] Also, it responded to the invitation of Make-a-Wish foundation (Make-a-Wish Greece), by taking part in the charity dinner organized at the Benaki Museum.^[13] Panathinaikos B.C. and Dimitris Giannakopoulos donated five cutting-edge wheelchairs to the Patriotic Institution of Social Welfare (PIKPA) of Voula, for the basketball team of the institution during the National Championship of Wheelchair Basketball. The President of the Panhellenic Association of Paraplegics (PA.S.PA) awarded Dimitris Giannakopoulos for his social contribution.^[14]

Dimitris Giannakopoulos donated specialized equipment of €50,000 in worth to the Underwater Operations Unit of the Hellenic Coast Guard. The Head of the Hellenic Coast Guard, Vice Admiral Athanasios Athanasopoulos, and the Commander of Special Forces, Captain Alexios Karakoulas, awarded Giannakopoulos with an honorary coat of arms for his contribution.^[15]

He donated also 55 fluorescent wind-proof jackets to the Road Traffic Police of the Attica Tollway (Attiki Odos), to help upgrade their equipment, and the facilitation of the work of the police officers, in the presence of the Colonel of the Road Traffic Police, Brigadier General D. Papanagiotou and the Commander of the Road Traffic Police Unit of the Attica Tollway, Police Second Lieutenant E. Kountouromichalis. The Colonel of the Road Traffic Police thanked Mr. Giannakopoulos, offering him an honorary badge.^[16] In the context of the VIANEX contribution, Dimitris Giannakopoulos donated to the Hellenic Police 10 high-performance motorcycles.

Panathinaikos B.C.

In 2012, Dimitris Giannakopoulos took charge of Panathinaikos B.C., after his father, Pavlos, and his uncle, Thanasis, who managed the club before him.

During his Presidency, the team won two consecutive Greek doubles (Greek Basket League championship and Greek Cup). However, in December 2014, he resigned from the club's President position, giving his seat to Manos Papadopoulos. He claimed to have been forced to proceed to such a move because of the constant sanctions and fines imposed on the club by the Greek State.^[17]

Media involvement

In recent years, Dimitris Giannakopoulos has created a Media Group in cooperation with DPG Digital Media, which is a series of websites of political, sport, medical, and social content, including the sports websites onsports.gr and leoforos.gr, the medical website onmed.gr, and many more. The long-standing success in the management of web communication media for DPG was sealed by its cooperation with CNN.

CNN Greece

DPG, along with the international news giant CNN, established CNN.gr. Dimitris Giannakopoulos, the President of DPG Group, stated on the occasion of the cooperation announcement: "We are particularly pleased to become members of the international CNN family through this strategic cooperation. CNN.gr aims to provide to the Greek-speaking audience immediate and accurate Greek and international news, with the unique seal of quality provided by CNN, bringing at the same time the Greek diaspora closer to the motherland. In times marked by very important developments for Greece, we invest in a platform which will responsibly serve the increasing demand of the audience for accurate, timely, and quality information."^[18]

Sparta F.C.

Giannakopoulos is also the main financial contributor to the Greek football club Sparta F.C., which competes in the Greek football second division, and which is based in Sparta.

References

External links

• Vianex website
• Panathinaikos B.C. website profile