Thanassis Giannakopoulos (Greek: Θανάσης Γιαννακόπουλος) is a Greek businessman. is a Greek businessman and pro sports club owner. He and his brother, Pavlos Giannakopoulos, are the co-owners of the pharmaceutical corporation Vianex, which was originally founded in 1924 by their father, Dimitrios Giannakopoulos. Vianex is a leading product manufacturer and marketer in Greece and other countries and works in collaboration with other leading international firms.[1]
The company's product turnover was €249.7 million in 2005.[2] In 2006, Thanassis' personal fortune was estimated to be €400 million, one half of the Giannakopoulos brothers' €800 million business empire.
Since 1987, the Giannakopoulos brothers own Panathinaikos BC, Panathinaikos VC and all of the club's amateur sports sections, from the athletics department to the water polo department. Thanassis is also the Chairman of the Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos volleyball and amateur sections. Their involvement with the club brought Panathinaikos' basketball team their greatest successes, in both domestic and European competitions. As of 2011, Panathinaikos has won 13 out of the last 14 Greek Championships and the Euroleague in the years 1996, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011.[3] The club, during that time, has featured some of the best basketball players from Greece, along with star players from abroad, such Byron Scott, Dominique Wilkins, and Dejan Bodiroga.
The basketball section of the club alone had a reported budget of €30 million in 2008.