Stelios Haji-Ioannou

Stelios Haji-Ioannou is a Greek-Cypriot entrepreneur. He is the owner of easyGroup, which part-owns easyJet Airline Company PLC, the operator of easyJet airline.

Stelios graduated from Rainham Mark Grammar School and the London School of Economics. He then went on to study for an MSc in Shipping, Trade & Finance at Cass Business School, in London. His business empire began in 1992 when he founded Stelmar, a shipping company with a loan from his father.

With the success of the company, Stelios began looking at starting a budget airline. After a visit to the USA, Stelios was given inspiration by Southwest and Virgin Atlantic. In 1995 easyJet was born.

The airline was an enormous success, easyJet being one of the major leaders in the European cheap flights boom of the 1990s. In 1998, Stelios expanded his interests with the formation of the easyGroup.

Through easyGroup he owns or part-owns a range of companies, covering a range of activities such as internet cafés, car rental, cinemas and hotels. In August 2005 the easyGroup opened the first (and only) of their low-cost budget hotels in London. All follow the “easy” approach of few “frills” and following yield management principles.

For a time he received unfavourable publicity for a policy of attempting to claim all company names/web URL’s containing the word “easy” for his group of companies, even when then name was already in use.

In 2000, easyJet floated on the London Stock Exchange, and Stelmar floated on the New York Stock Exchange the following year. His personal fortune is estimated at £727 million. He was ranked 80th in the Sunday Times Rich List 2006.

Stelios lives in London and Athens. You can view his empire at www.easy.com.