Sokratis Kokkalis

Sokratis Kokkalis
Σωκράτης Κόκκαλης
Born May 27, 1939
Athens, Greece
Nationality Greek
Alma mater Athens University
University of Tübingen
Occupation Entrepreneur
Years active 1976–
Net worth Decrease US$1.6 billion (2015)
Board member of
 Chairman of Intralot
Owner of Intracom Holdings
Religion Orthodox

Sokratis Kokkalis (Greek: Σωκράτης Κόκκαλης) (born 27 May 1939) is a Greek billionaire businessman.

Business

Kokkalis is the Chairman, CEO and majority shareholder of Intracom Holdings, one of the largest multinational technology groups in Southern Europe, and the Chairman and majority shareholder of Intralot S.A., a gaming technology supplier and licensed lottery operator. He has established and presides over the Kokkalis Foundation, a non-profit organization that "promotes education and training, culture and social welfare, medical research and information technology, and athletics," both in Greece and abroad.in 2015 Socrates kokkalis net worth is estimated to be around US$1.6 billion.[1]

Football

Kokkalis was, for 18 years until 30 December 2010, owner and chairman of the Greek football club Olympiacos. During his tenure the club won 12 top division titles, five Greek Cups, and one Greek Super Cup. It was also during his chairmanship that Olympiakos leased from the Greek state and for a period of 50 years their homeground Karaiskakis Stadium, which was until that time used by Olympiakos and other Piraeus clubs strictly on a rental basis, and undertook a complete rebuilding of the stadium itself.[2]

Controversies

German authorities' investigations in the Stasi archives found a 350-page report referring to agent "Rocco" ("953/63"). It was alleged that "Rocco" was the code name for Sokratis Kokkalis, allegedly recruited on 25 January 1963.[3] Kokkalis was alleged to have subsequently bribed Greek officials in order for the national telecommunications company of Greece to purchase East German telecommunications equipment.[3][4][5]

However, Kostas Tsimas, a former chief of the Greek intelligence service (EYP) and very close friend of former Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, stated that Kokkalis is "a Greek patriot", who "worked for Greek national interests in the Balkans and elsewhere".[6]

Kokkalis was criticized by Greek and international media about his activities in Russia, where his company Intralot had sold lottery equipment, technological know-how and software.[5] However, no formal charges were ever filed for any Intralot representative, and the Russian government expressed its trust in Kokkalis and Intralot.[7]

Extensive criticism was also received in the Romanian press by Kokkalis and the companies Intralot and Intracom for allegedly bribing Romanian officials into signing and extending contracts between the Greek firms and the Romanian Lottery that were thoroughly disadvantageous for the Romanian side, with losses totalling up to 1bn Euros as of April 2014. [8] [9]

Honors

Kokkalis was made a John Harvard fellow in 1997, and received awards from The Fulbright Foundation and the American Academy of Achievement for "his leadership in creating educational opportunities and building bridges of cooperation."[10]

References

  1. ↑ "The Rich List 2005: Top Ten Wealthiest Dynasties in Greece and Turkey". Business Insider. 24 January 2006. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "End of an era as Kokkalis retires", Athens News, 8 January 2011
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Articles in the Greek magazine Anti, January 2002; reproduced by the Cryptome website
  4. ↑ Olympiakos soccer chief was 'spy for Stasi', The Independent, 24 February 2002
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Stasi spy claims hit Greek magnate", BBC News, 20 February 2002
  6. ↑ Eleftherotypia, February 26, 2002
  7. ↑ "Kokkalis under attack, Athens News, 22 February 2002
  8. ↑ , Ziua News, 8 July 2013
  9. ↑ , Digi24, 2 April 2014
  10. ↑ Socrates P. Kokkalis biography at Cosmos FM radio station's website

External links