Constantinos Grammenos

Professor Costas Th. Grammenos is Chairman of the Costas Grammenos Centre for Shipping, Trade and Finance, Cass Business School, City, University of London; Lloyd’s Register Foundation (LRF) Chair in Shipping, Trade & Finance; and Founding President of the Governing Body of the International Hellenic University, Greece.

He joined City, University of London in 1982 as Visiting Professor and became Professor of Shipping, Trade and Finance in 1986. He was Pro Vice-Chancellor, City University of London from 1998-2011, Acting Dean, Cass Business School in 2000; Deputy Dean 2001; and Deputy Dean (Undergraduate) City, University of London from 2002-2010. He was the Founding Director of the Cass Centre for Shipping, Trade and Finance in 1983 and became its Chairman in 2012. The Centre was renamed by City, University of London, the Costas Grammenos Centre for Shipping, Trade and Finance in April 2007.

He was responsible for the inception, creation and design of the Centre; and, until 2003, was Director of the world class MSc Shipping, Trade and Finance, introduced in 1984. The Centre introduced the MSc Trade, Transport and Finance in September 1997 (from 2008-2012 known as MSc Supply Chain, Trade and Finance); and the MSc Energy, Trade and Finance in 2003. More than 3700 students, from over 150 countries, have graduated over this period, many of them are holding leading positions in international banking, shipping, and manufacturing sectors. In addition, the Centre has gained international recognition for its applied research in the areas of shipping finance, shipping and financial risk management, commodity trade, energy and finance, and is a major platform for international dialogue between senior business executives, government and academia. Within this framework the Centre organizes the City of London Biennial Meetings (1999-date); the Athens Triennial Meetings (2004-date); and the Onassis Prizes, internationally significant awards for leading academics in Shipping; in International Trade; and in Finance (2008-date).

He was born in February 1944 and raised in Athens. He has a BA in Politics and Economics, Pantion, Athens (1971); and an MSc. in Financial Economics, Bangor, Wales (1977). In 1999 he was awarded the highest academic accolade in the UK, the DSc. in Shipping Finance, by City, University of London for creating – through his published research – ‘Shipping Finance’ as a new academic subject, and for his “significant contribution to knowledge in Shipping, Trade and Finance”

He began his career in the National Bank of Greece in 1962, and was financial shipping expert at the Bank’s head office in Athens, from 1973-1974. He was Independent Researcher and Advisor from 1977 until 1982. He joined City, University of London in 1982 as Visiting Professor and became Professor of Shipping, Trade and Finance in 1986. He teaches Shipping Investment and Finance where, in 1977, he had introduced credit analysis and policy of bank shipping finance which, since then, has been applied by most international banks. He introduced, through the MSc, a new approach in international business, “the spherical approach”. He wrote the well-known seminal monograph on the subject ‘Bank Finance for Ship Purchase’ (1979) University of Wales Press, and overall has written papers and studies published in refereed academic journals and specialist trade publications. Since the mid 1980’s, through his research, class teaching and public presentations, he would draw the attention of the shipping world to the potential of public and private equity and debt markets as new sources for shipping finance. He is the Editor of the major academic publication ‘The Handbook of Maritime Economics and Business’ (2002, 20010), LLP, where 50 leading academics from 30 universities in 19 countries contributed 39 chapters. He has given papers and lectures in various parts of the world.

He was made OBE (Hon) by HM Queen Elizabeth in 1994, for his work in international shipping and finance and CBE (Hon) in 2009 for “services to teaching and research”. In 2013 he was awarded ‘Commander of the Order of the Phoenix’ by the Hellenic Republic for his world leading teaching and research in the maritime industry, and in 2017 became an Honorary Fellow at Bangor University, Wales

He was 1998 Seatrade Personality of the Year; in 2008 he was awarded the prize of Distinguished Personality for his outstanding contribution to the shipping industry by the Association of Banking and Financial Executives of Hellenic Shipping; in 2008 was awarded the ‘Achievement in Education or Training’ at the Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards; and in 2017 was presented with the Capital Link Greek Shipping Leadership Award.

He is Member of the Board of Directors of the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation (1995-date), Member of the American Bureau of Shipping (1996-date), FRSA (1996-date), Founder and Chairman of the City of London Biennial Meetings (1999-date), Chairman, Athens Triennial Meetings (2004-date); Non-executive Member of the Board, Marfin Investment Group (MIG) (2007-2010), Freeman of the City of London (2000), Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights (2002), Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (2004). He is Visiting Professor at the University of Antwerp (2000-date) and was President of the International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME) (1998-2003); Honorary Fellow, Institute of Marine Engineers, Science and Technology (IMarEST) (2008); First Deputy Chairman, Maria Tsakos Foundation, Greece (2014-date). He is Founding President of the Governing Body of the International Hellenic University, Greece (2006-date).

Qualifications

• DSc (City), City, University of London, United Kingdom, 1999
• MSc (Bangor), University College of North Wales, United Kingdom, 1977
• BA (Athens), Pantion University of Athens, Greece, 1971