Greece’s municipal elections on Sunday catapulted a well-known shipping figure into a role in local politics.
Harry Vafias, principal of US-listed companies StealthGas, Imperial Petroleum and C3is, successfully ran for a seat in the council of Kifissia — the wealthy northern Athens suburb where he was born and raised.
Garnering more than 1,400 votes, he beat nearly 90 rivals to rank third among the 23 other city councillors elected on his ticket.
Vafias’ ticket under mayoral candidate Vassilis Xypolitas did equally well, winning 64% of the vote and unseating incumbent mayor George Thomakos.
This places Vafias in a good position to claim an executive role within the Kifissia municipal council, most likely as a deputy mayor.
Vafias’ family is known to have engaged in social activity and charity. This, however, is the first time the 45-year-old shipowner has entered local politics.
His decision was motivated by his personal relationship with Xypolitas, who persuaded him to join the ticket.
Vafias said on the campaign trail that he will focus on creating a model start-up hub for businesses in Kifissia, particularly on gathering the necessary public funds and private contributions to do it.
Shipowners and politics
Helping foster business culture in Greece is an activity he has already engaged in.
About a year ago, Vafias agreed to co-host the local version of Dragon’s Den — a business competition TV show best known as Shark Tank, its US edition.
In the show, budding entrepreneurs get 10 minutes to pitch business ideas to millionaires offering to buy and invest in their projects.
Entrepreneurial spirit and the creation of private sector jobs have experienced a revival in Greece, which is keen to reverse the crippling effects of its sovereign debt crisis a few years ago.
As for engagement in municipal politics, it is nothing new for shipowners.
Evangelos Marinakis, another prominent maritime figure, briefly served as a municipal council member in Piraeus on the ticket of mayor Ioannis Moralis, whom he publicly backed.
Moralis was re-elected on Sunday for a third consecutive term with 70% of the vote.
Earlier this year, Greek ship investor Stefanos Kasselakis came out of nowhere to become leader of Syriza — a major, left-leaning opposition party.
Syriza candidates, however, fared on Sunday far less well than Vafias, who ran on a conservative-backed ticket.
