Early Life
George Economou was born in Athens, Greece, in 1953. His father owned a small paper-products company. He pursued higher education in the United States, earning a Bachelor of Science and two Master of Science degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Rise to Success
Economou's career began in 1976 as a Superintendent Engineer. He later became General Manager of Oceania Maritime Agency in New York. He invested and participated in the formation of numerous individual shipping companies. In 1991, he founded Cardiff Marine Inc. Economou took DryShips (DRYS) public on the NASDAQ in 2005, later taking it private in 2019. In 2018, he sold offshore drilling firm Ocean Rig to Transocean. Economou's success has been marked by strategic acquisitions and public listings. His firm, TMS Tankers, has been involved in transporting Russian oil since the invasion of Ukraine.
Key Business Strategies
Economou has strategically expanded his shipping operations through acquisitions and by taking companies public. He has demonstrated market acumen in selling assets, like Ocean Rig. DryShips' expansion and subsequent privatization reflects his approach to managing a shipping empire.
Philanthropy
Philanthropy amounts could not be found.