Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki
| Gianna Angelopoulos–Daskalaki | |
|---|---|
| Γιάννα Αγγελοπούλου-Δασκαλάκη | |
| President of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games | |
|
In office May 15, 2000 – 2004 |
|
| Leader |
Juan Antonio Samaranch (2000–01) Jacques Rogge (2001–04) |
| Preceded by | Michael Knight |
| Succeeded by | Liu Qi |
| Convening Sponsor, Clinton Global Initiative Honorary Ambassador of the Greek State | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
12 December 1955 Heraklion, Greece |
| Nationality | Greek |
| Alma mater | Aristotle University of Thessaloniki |
| Net worth | US$1.2 billion (2010) |
Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki (born Ioanna Daskalaki, 12 December 1955) is a Greek businesswoman. She is best known for being the president of the bidding and organizing committee for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She was named one of the 50 most powerful women by Forbes magazine.
Born to a middle-class family in Heraklion, Crete, she distinguished herself academically and politically. Daskalaki studied law in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
In 1990, she married the Greek shipping and steel magnate Theodore Angelopoulos, and has since been involved in several aspects of Angelopoulos' business interests, mainly in shipping. The couple has two sons, Panagiotis Angelopoulos and Dimitris Angelopoulos. She also has a daughter, Caroline, from a previous marriage.
In the late 1980s, she became actively involved in politics in Athens. In 1986, she was elected to the Athens Municipal Council. In 1989, she was elected to parliament, and won reelection the following year.
In 1998, she was appointed Ambassador at Large by the Greek government. She was paid for this appointment and donates the sums to several Greek charities each year.
In October 2008, she was appointed Chevalier of the French Republic's National Order of the Legion of Honor during the Presidency of Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy.
Disappointed over losing the bid for the 100 Year Celebration of the revival of the Olympic Games in 1996, Greece officials decided to bid for the 2004 Summer Olympics. Angelopoulos-Daskalaki was named president of the Bidding Committee, making her the first female president of any Olympic organizing committee, and succeeded in bringing the games to Athens. She was however excluded from the initial organization committee that would prepare for the games.
When the International Olympic Committee questioned Greece's commitment to the games and its ability to complete all preparations prior to the opening ceremony, Angelopoulos-Daskalaki was asked to return and was named president of the Olympic Organizing Committee in May 2000. She was the first woman to hold this position. Under her watch, competition facilities were completed and security issues were taken care of. International Olympic Committee presidents Juan Antonio Samaranch and Jacques Rogge both specifically credit Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki for the success of the games. In his speech at the Closing Ceremony, Rogge said, "These Games were unforgettable, dream Games."
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