Stelios Haji-Ioannou
Stelios Haji-Ioannou
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannouis a British entrepreneur of Greek-Cypriot origin, resident in Monaco. He is the scion of a wealthy ship owning family, but is best known for founding easyJet, a low-cost airline and the Stelmar shipping line, with start-up funds provided by his father. easyJet's foundation in 1995 marked the beginning of a series of ventures marketed under the "easy" brand, managed by easyGroup and chaired by Sir Stelios...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionEntrepreneur
Date of Birth14 February 1967
accelerate best brand enabling extensions faster grown growth money natural portfolio private raising rate spend time whilst
I see easyHotel as one of the best, most natural extensions of the 'easy' brand from the airline. EasyHotel is raising money to accelerate growth at a much faster rate than I could have grown it as a private company, whilst enabling me to spend more time on my diversified portfolio of other investments.
almost biggest chain cheap computer experience faced gave internet lining mistake people problems shop silver technology worked
My biggest mistake was when I started up easyEverything, a chain of Internet cafes. The idea that people would go to a shop to use a computer was revolutionary in 1999. It worked for a while, but cheap technology almost killed it. One silver lining of the problems I faced was that it gave me experience of turnarounds.
certainly health passengers reasonably sake
I know easyJet is not luxury, but we certainly don't charge for wheelchairs or take away essentials. You have to make the passengers reasonably comfy for the sake of health.
break days easier foreign pay period seven several stay switch time
As a self-employed person, the idea of a break is completely foreign to me. If I completely switch off for any period of time, I know I'm going to pay for it several times over. For me, it's a lot better and easier to stay in touch and know what's going on seven days a week than to switch off.
agents appear travel traveller
The whole concept of the travel agent is absurd. They appear to be agents of the traveller but are actually agents of the airlines.
organised
I like organised things. I don't like the corruption and slowness of Greece.
below current feeling food gap market niche operators
I have a feeling that there is a gap in the food retail market - a niche below some of the current budget operators such as Aldi and Lidl.
grateful successful essence
People are grateful when you make a difference in their lives. That is the essence of any successful business
good internet largest morning opened square
When I opened the world's largest Internet cafe, certified by the 'Guinness Book of Records,' in Times Square in New York, I was live on 'Good Morning America,' and for me, that was an achievement.
time
I've always been conscientious and hardworking. I've never wasted time.
decided life lives products services
I decided very early on that the way to make a difference in my life and in other people's lives was to give them services and products that are actually for the many and not for the few.
airlines average change fascinated travel
I wanted to be my own boss. I was fascinated by airlines and how I could change travel for the average person. Then I wanted to diversify.
open people
There are still too many people out there who are claustrophobic. On easyCruise, we are going to open up as many cabins as we can.
money time
There is a place and a time for philanthropy, and there is only so much money you can give away.