Early Life
Spiro J. Latsis was born in Athens, Greece, on August 15, 1946, into a family with a history in shipping. His father, John S. Latsis, built the family fortune starting as a trader in 1938 and expanding into ship-owning by the 1960s. Spiro received his early education in Greece before moving to the United Kingdom to attend the London School of Economics (LSE).
Rise to Success
Latsis joined the family business, initially in the banking sector. He became a director of some companies within the EFG Group, the family banking holding group, from 1989 and assumed the role of Chairman of the EFG Group in 1997. After his father's death in 2003, he took over the direction of the Latsis Group of companies.
Key Business Strategies
Under Spiro Latsis's leadership, the Latsis family empire expanded into a conglomerate encompassing shipping, real estate, oil, banking, and finance sectors. The family's interests include stakes in EFG International, a Zurich-based private banking group, and Greek real estate developer Lamda Development. He has also focused on fleet renewal and diversification in the shipping sector, with the Latsco Shipping Company. In addition, Latsis grew the family's energy interests via Paneuropean Oil and Industrial Holdings, establishing it as the largest private shareholder in Helleniq Energy (formerly Hellenic Petroleum), Greece's leading integrated oil company.
Philanthropy
Spiro Latsis supports philanthropic efforts through the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation and the International Latsis Foundation, funding programs in education, scientific research, social welfare, and culture. The John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation was established in 2005 in the memory of the late John S. Latsis, by his family, with the aim of preserving his philanthropic legacy. The Geneva Foundation funds scientific awards annually.
