The Onassis empire
Athina's grandfather Aristotle Onassis, founder of the immense Onassis empire, was one of the most remarkable businessmen of the 20th century. He showed his aptitude for challenge at an early age when he succeeded in helping his father escape from a concentration camp during WWI. The 16-year-old Aristotle lied about his age to avoid detention and then devised a plan to liberate his parent.
The Onassis legacy begins when, as a teenager, he famously arrived on the docks of Buenos Aires with only $60 in his pocket. In the years that followed the Turkish-born entrepreneur built up a successful tobacco business in Argentina, marking the beginning of one of the 20th century's greatest rags-to-riches stories.
After purchasing his first ships in the early 1930s Ari moved into the tanker business and went on to marry, in 1946, the daughter of Greek shipowner Stavros Livanos. The two men joined forces with fellow countrymen Stavros Niarchos to form the most powerful shipping cartel in the world.
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