Who was Aristotle Onassis? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Aristotle Socrates Onassis

Died At Age: 69

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Athina Livanos (m. 1946-1960) Jacqueline Lee Bouvier

father: Socrates

mother: Penelope Dologu

siblings: Artemis Garoufalid, Kalliroe (half-sister), Merope (half-sister)

children: Alexander, Christina

Billionaires Greek Men

Height: 5'5" (165 cm), 5'5" Males

Died on: March 15, 1975

place of death: Neuilly-sur-Seine, France

Cause of Death: Respiratory Failure

: Complication Of The Myasthenia Gravis

Founder/Co-Founder: Olympic Maritime and Olympic Tourist, Olympic Airways and Air Navigation

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1

What was Aristotle Onassis' business empire known for?

Aristotle Onassis' business empire was known for its involvement in the shipping industry, where he built one of the largest and most successful fleets of tankers and freighters in the world.
2

How did Aristotle Onassis acquire his wealth?

Aristotle Onassis acquired his wealth through strategic investments in the shipping industry, where he capitalized on the post-World War II boom in global trade to build a shipping empire.
3

What was Aristotle Onassis' approach to business and entrepreneurship?

Aristotle Onassis was known for his bold and aggressive approach to business and entrepreneurship, often taking calculated risks and making shrewd business decisions to expand his empire.
4

What impact did Aristotle Onassis have on the shipping industry?

Aristotle Onassis had a significant impact on the shipping industry by revolutionizing the way maritime trade was conducted and setting new standards for efficiency and profitability.
5

How did Aristotle Onassis navigate the challenges of the business world?

Aristotle Onassis navigated the challenges of the business world through his keen business acumen, strategic vision, and ability to adapt to changing market conditions, which allowed him to stay ahead of his competitors.

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Childhood & Early Life

Aristotle Onassis was born to Socrates and Penelope Dologu in Karatass, surburb of Smyra. He was the only son of the couple who were blessed with a daughter Artemis. He had two half-sisters as well.

Born in a financially secure household, young Onassis had the privilege to attain education at prestigious schools. By the time he turned 16, he gained a mastery over four languages. He graduated from the local Evangelical Greek School.

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Career

After the Turkey’s invasion of Greece and the subsequent Great Fire of Smyra, he left for Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1923, where he found job as a telephone engineer at the British United River Plate Telephone Company.

It was during his time as a telephone engineer that he started eavesdropping on important business calls and used the information gained from the same to make his own deals. No sooner he started securing big deals which brought in a lot of money.

It was while overhearing a conversation that the idea struck him to revive his father’s tobacco business. He imported tobacco from Turkey and started looking to make a business deal.

Failing to secure a deal for his tobacco, he turned to manufacturing his own brand of cigarettes. The business thrived and so did his reputation and financial worth. He soon made a considerable amount of money and became a drawing influence in the social circle with escalating power.

Shortly, he realized that shipping merchants were making more money than cigarette manufactures by transporting tobacco. Ambitious as he was, he started buying ships at a time when people were moving out of the shipping business. It took him a few days to expand his fleet.

In 1928, he made a trade agreement with Greece. During this time, he became involved in a lot of illegitimate activities, such as smuggling, bribing and so on. He even sabotaged his competitors and fraudulently used the name of established and famous cigarette companies.

The 1000% increase in tax on imported goods in 1929 brought in a big blow for his South American business ventures. However, not the one to give up easily, he extensively bribed Greek ministers to gain an exemption from tax. He repeated the feat yet again in 1931.

From 1950 to 1956, he found monetary success whaling off the Peruvian coast. In his very first deal, he made a whooping profit of $4.5 million. The business finally ended when he sold off the venture to a Japanese whaling company called Kyokuyo Hogei Kaisha for $8.5 million.

In 1957, he plunged into the airline business and took over the failing Greek national Airline turning it to a profitable private business under the name Olympic Airways. He secured profitable deals with big oil companies for long-term contracts at fixed prices. Due to this, every business deal turned profitable for him.

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Within a short span of time, he became a global business magnate. Other than his tobacco venture and booming shipping business, he held stocks in major oil companies in US, Middle East and Venezuela, controlled over more than ninety-five multinational businesses, had gold processing plants in Argentina and Uruguay and made huge investments in Latin America and Brazil.

He owned several apartments, buildings and castle in numerous cities of the world. He had accounts in more than 200 banks across the world and also owned islands, such as, Scorpios and Sparta..

Personal Life & Legacy

A womanizer, he was in a string of relationships with famous women around the globe. His relationship with Athina Livanos, who was half his age but daughter of shipping magnate, ended up in marriage in December 1946. The couple was blessed with two children

The marriage with Livanos did not last long and the two divorced in 1960 following his infidelity and romantic relationship with singer Maria Callas, which initiated in 1957.

He ended his relationship with Callas and befriended Jackie Kennedy, widow of President John F Kennedy. The relationship strengthened further as the two became lovers and eventually married in 1968.

In 1973, tragedy struck his household when his son from his first marriage died in a plane crash. The incident left him devastated.

Two years later, he breathed his last on March 15, 1975 at the American Hospital of Paris in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France due to respiratory failure, a complication of the myasthenia gravis that he had been suffering from during the last years of his life. He was buried on his island near his son Alexander.

Facts About Aristotle Onassis

Aristotle Onassis was known for his love of luxury and opulence, owning one of the most extravagant private yachts in the world, the Christina O, which hosted numerous famous guests including Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe.

Onassis had a passion for aviation and founded Olympic Airways, the national airline of Greece, which played a significant role in developing the country's tourism industry.

Despite his reputation as a successful businessman, Onassis was also a philanthropist who donated significant amounts of money to various causes, including educational institutions and cultural organizations.

Onassis had a keen interest in the arts and culture, collecting valuable artwork and supporting artists and musicians throughout his life.

He was known for his extravagant parties and social gatherings, where he would entertain guests with lavish food and entertainment, creating memorable experiences for all in attendance.

Aristotle Onassis Biography

You wanted to know

What was Aristotle Onassis' business empire known for?

How did Aristotle Onassis acquire his wealth?

What was Aristotle Onassis' approach to business and entrepreneurship?

What impact did Aristotle Onassis have on the shipping industry?

How did Aristotle Onassis navigate the challenges of the business world?