Harry Vafias, 45, is a shipping tycoon. I used to work for his dad Nikos Vafias from 2006, then in charge of the Shipping Companies – Brave and Stealth Maritime in Kifisia, Athens, Greece. Harry proceeded to take over the companies, and added more.
I remained there for a decade until 2016, noticing a steady expansion – which translates to a very busy environment within the company. My role was Front Desk Reception, utilising my English language and Customer Service skills. People from all over the world would visit; ship building company representatives from Korea, Νorwegian executives, the odd politician and media figure, couriers and visitors of all persuasions whom I duly and dutifully assisted. Incidentally, I was seated between two handsome, armed young bodyguards who made sure things ran smoothly.
Harry was kind, helping me to feel welcome when I first began, even gifting me a few Heavy Metal CD’s as he knew I like the music. The work environment was modern, comfortable and the staff friendly. A writer to the core, I felt trapped within an office environment but the pay was also excellent, including the Greek law’s stipend for my university degrees, so I did my best until it was time to fly the coop.
Another decade has almost passed since I last saw Harry – in person that is. He’s become a bit of a media celebrity, on YouTube and in TV interviews, but his recognition has been boosted as one of the panelists on TV’s ‘Dragons’ Den’ (Australia’s equivalent is ‘Shark Tank’, though many Greek Australians in Australia have subscriptions to Greek TV and see Dragons’ Den).
This TV show involves budding Greek entrepreneurs presenting their business ideas in the hope they’ll receive financial and networking support to expand. Harry seems to have earned the reputation as a tough panel member, but to me – perhaps because I’m an Aussie of sorts – he just seems down to earth and no mucking around when it comes to business.
I must admit though, as my boss, he was tough on me once or twice. But I knew he had a kind heart.
So, as a writer, I interview my old (young) boss! Though Harry spends much time working, it certainly isn’t a case of ‘all work and no play.’ He used to be into rap music, even rapping with a band under the Pseudonym ‘Esco’.
He says, “I still listen to some rap, and Hard Rock / Heavy Metal, such as AC/DC and Metallica.” His love for rock music is reflected in his very own design of his Stealth Maritime Corporation T-Shirts.
Harry is also a self-admitted ‘petrol head’, still having a multi-car collection of around 21 vehicles. He admits to selling off the flash, fancy ones such as the Ferrari and Lamborghini of his youth. His black Mitsubishi Evo (he nicknamed “Mitsos”), is one that now takes pride of place in his heart, though Harry admits it has been ‘spoken to’ quite a bit.
He also likes to join mates and do stuff like jet ski and taunt his fellows as he whirls around prompting them to fall off. Ah, boys and their toys!
Yet, as mentioned in his ‘Dragons’ Den’ role and beyond, business is business and Harry does it and has been doing it well. In the competitive and ever evolving arena of shipping, Harry certainly realised a nickname the Americans gave him years ago – the “Harry Potter” of shipping, whereby in 2006 he was the youngest ship owner listed on the NY stock exchange, upping his profits constantly and consistently – and this continues.
Harry’s ‘The Vafias Group’ now comprises US listed StealthGas, Imperial Petroleum, C3iS Inc, and my old workplace – the private companies Stealth Maritime and Brave Maritime – and he controls 94 vessels. You’ve got to hand it to him for his business savvy – all this, now debt free.
Harry has more than proven he’s his own man, something that seems to be in the blood. His grandfather – poor, one of seven siblings – also had sea vessel, business prowess. He transported goats and sheep from his island Chios, to another island, Oinousses, in a row boat! Grandpa Vafias then saved money and bought a beef farm in Argentina, from which he exported meat to Europe and South America, deeming him a wealthy man. His son Nikos, Harry’s father, was educated at Athens University, but decided to join forces with another student friend and buy a ship, from his savings gained through work at the Athens Meat market – you get the connection.
And so Nikos succeeded and eventually built Brave Maritime Shipping Corporation. He sent a young Harry aboard a ship at 17, for experience, and Harry, after his academic studies in the UK, asked his dad for a loan to buy a ship, managing to pay his dad back. He didn’t want to simply be an employee at his father’s company, and this amazing fellow did it – succeeding on his terms: with some help from his father, but nonetheless carving his own path through diligence, hard work and luck incorporating some insightful, economic trend observing. Good on you, Harry!
Though Harry hasn’t been to Australia yet, he tells me he had an exclusive shipping chartering contract in Melbourne, working with Australia’s Wheat Corporation assisting in famine relief during the Iraq war. Harry’s more current, philanthropic focused role is in local government, as Head of Security for the Athens suburb of Kifisia. This basically involves helping to keep Kifisia safe through overseeing the implementation of security measures such as policing, CCTV and drones.
Of this role, he says, “I’m in it to help build a better community, even by adding my small piece, like a single brick to make a positive difference.”
This complements our alluding to Greek patriotism, “more so on a local level such as Chios and Kifissia,” he says.
Harry’s concern for unemployed Greeks is also reflected is his view that taking to the sea would give mainly underpaid young Greeks 2,000 euros per month as starting pay. Furthermore, enabling them to work their way up to head mechanic or captain which would see pays of 12-14,000 euros a month; “but many prefer to earn less, live with their parents and spend most of their time with their girlfriends.”
As for honouring Greece’s long established Shipping tradition and glory, Harry suggests that the Greek government reconsider charging exorbitant fees for Greek flagged ships, prompting Greek ship-owners to fly flags of other countries. Agreed. Hopefully, the Greek government is considering this. Who knows, perhaps Harry may have something more to do with the Greek government one day… He smiles.
