Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou:
Official Biography

Updated 12 August 2022
Stelios is best known for creating the easy family of brands beginning with easyJet in 1994 when he was just 27. Six years later he floated the airline on the www.londonstockexchange.com in order to fund the airline’s growth however he and his family remain the largest shareholders holding around 15% of the shares.
The stock market currently values easyJet PLC at about £3.1 billion. When the COVID pandemic struck the airline was carrying about 100 million passengers per year and numbers were substantially reduced but are now recovering..
The easy family of brands
Charity work:
Stelios started giving back to society when he turned 40 years old and has since formalised his charitable giving by creating the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation (www.stelios.org) , which now takes up about a third of his time. Its mission statement is to support a diverse range of charitable activities principally in the countries where he has lived and worked: UK, Greece, Cyprus and Monaco. The most notable program is “Food from the heart” that in normal times (pre-COVID) feeds 200,000 people with a snack each month in Greece and Cyprus since 2013. https://steliosfoundation.gr/faghto-apo-kardias. In addition since 2008 the Foundation’s bi-communal awards programme in Cyprus gives €500,000 annually to Greek and Turkish Cypriots, who work together for a lasting peace on the island https://steliosfoundation.com.cy/peace-cyprus-bicommunal-awards/. Sadly, this program is paused because of COVID but the Foundation has given to many pandemic related causes that include thank you gifts in the form of shop vouchers to front line nurses and carers. Other good causes are supported with regular donations. Environmental charity wwf.org is a major beneficiary in partnership with HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco’s own foundation. (fpa2.org). In May 2017 Stelios signed the Giving Pledge (https://givingpledge.org/Pledger.aspx?id=334 ) committing to endow his Foundation with half his estate in order to become the perpetual vehicle for his legacy. This initiative was started in 2010 by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffet.
Family business background:
Honours

easyGroup
easyGroup, founded in 1998, is the private investment vehicle owned by Stelios that manages the 'easy' brand and launches new businesses.

Stelmar Shipping
Stelmar Shipping was Stelios' first company which successfully floated on the New York Stock Exchange in 2001.