Edit filter log

'{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}} {{Infobox person | image = | image_size = | name = John Christodoulou | caption = | birth_name = Yiannakis Theophani Christodoulou | birth_date = {{bya|1965|05}} | birth_place = [[Nicosia]], Cyprus | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = British | residence = Monaco | education = | occupation = Property developer | known for = Owner, [[Yianis Group]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hazliseconomist.com/en/event/Cyprus_the_Eurozones_comeback_kid/speaker/John_Christodoulou |title=The Eurozone's Comeback Kid|publisher=The Economist |date= December 2016}}</ref> | salary = | networth = GBP £1.6 billion (STRL, April 2019).<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sunday-times-rich-list-2019-profiles-53-100-mike-ashley-bernie-ecclestone-7jw2x0s7l |title=News Article - Rich List 2019 Profiles 53-100|publisher=Sunday Times |date= May 2019}}</ref> | spouse = | parents = | children = 3 | relatives = | website = www.johnchristodoulou.com }} '''Yiannakis Theophani "John" Christodoulou''' (born May 1965) is a Monaco-based British [[billionaire]] property developer, the owner of [[Yianis Group]], a privately owned company with a portfolio of residential, hotel, retail and leisure properties in the UK and Europe.<ref>{{cite web|title=Company Website|url=http://www.yianis.com/|accessdate=14 December 2016}}</ref> ==Early life== Christodoulou was born in May 1965,<ref name=CompaniesHouse>{{cite web|title=Yianis Group Limited|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/09521674/officers|website=Companies House|accessdate=29 July 2015}}</ref> in Nicosia, Cyprus. He came to London as a boy in 1974, as his family fled the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. ==Career== He started with a studio flat, and now owns extensive property in the London Docklands through his Yianis Group.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/from-studio-flat-to-being-richer-than-mccartney-tycoon-is-new-entry-in-sunday-times-rich-list-7697399.html |title=News Article - From Studio Flat to Being Richer than Mccartney |publisher=Evening Standard |accessdate=28 April 2015}}</ref> Christodoulou owns 100% of [[Yianis Group]], which owns the London hotels [[Marriott West India Quay]] and the [[Canary Riverside Plaza]] (formerly Four Seasons Canary Wharf).<ref name="yianis1">{{cite web|url=http://www.yianis.com/portfolio |title=Yianis Group |publisher=Yianis.com |date= |accessdate=30 July 2015}}</ref> He owns [[Wool House]] in London.<ref name="yianis1"/> As of April 2019, his net worth is £1.6 billion, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sunday-times-rich-list-2019-profiles-53-100-mike-ashley-bernie-ecclestone-7jw2x0s7l |title=News Article - Rich List 2019 Profiles 53-100|publisher=Sunday Times |date=14 May 2019 |accessdate=16 May 2019}}</ref> The value of Christodoulou's property holdings increased by 25% in the 12 months to April 2019 to £1.5 billion, due to a buoyant London rental market.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/docklands-property-tycoon-sees-value-of-empire-rise-a4060356.html |title=Docklands property tycoon sees value of empire rise |publisher=Evening Standard |accessdate=8 February 2019}}</ref> ==Personal life== Christodoulou lives in Monaco and has three children. He has a $50 million 74m yacht, ''Zeus'', previously owned by [[Aidan Barclay]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.superyachtfan.com/yacht-zeus.html|title=John Christodoulou and his Amazing US$ 50 Million SuperYacht Zeus|first=Peter|last=Yachtfan|website=www.superyachtfan.com|accessdate=12 January 2018}}</ref> ==Charity== === Yianis Christodoulou Foundation === He founded the Yianis Christodoulou Foundation<ref>{{cite web|title=Yianis Christdoulou Foundation Website|url=https://www.yianischristodouloufoundation.com/|accessdate=16 January 2019}}</ref>, which seeks to support and empower underserved children and their families in the UK and abroad. Christodoulou has given £1 million to his Foundation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bdaily.co.uk/articles/2017/10/02/john-christodoulou-donates-1-million-to-the-yianis-christodoulou-foundation-for-children|title=john-christodoulou-donates-1-million-to-the-yianis-christodoulou-foundation-for-children|author=|date=|website=www.bdaily.co.uk|accessdate=11 January 2018}}</ref> To raise money for his Foundation, Christodoulou has hosted events such as the Star Ball in 2017 at the Hilton Hotel Manchester where over £1.5 million was raised.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parikiaki.com/2017/10/yianis-christodoulou-foundation-and-the-amazing-night-in-manchester-for-charity/|title=Yianis Christodoulou Foundation and the amazing night in Manchester for charity|author=|date=16 October 2017|website=www.parikiai.com|accessdate=16 January 2019}}</ref> The Foundation had a Christmas Card – Helping Children Pancyprian Primary School Competition, ‘Christmas Card – Helping Children’, for children to design a Christmas card. There were three prizes €10,000, €5,000 and €2,000. The prize money was used for the implementation of projects in the three schools (e.g. infrastructure, renovation, purchase of equipment).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://in-cyprus.com/christmas-card-helping-children-competition/|title=‘Christmas Card – Helping Children’ school competition|author=Stelios Marathovouniotis|date=6 November 2018|website=in-cyprus.com|accessdate=16 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.philenews.com/koinonia/eidiseis/article/630345/brabeftikan-mathitikes-christoygnniatikes-kartes-eikones-1|title=Βραβεύτηκαν μαθητικές χριστουγεννιάτικες κάρτες (εικόνες)|author=|date=24 December 2018|website=www.philenews.com|accessdate=16 January 2019}}</ref> ==Honours and awards== Christodoulou won the Foreign-based Cypriot Entrepreneur of the Year 2013 award from ''IN Business Magazine''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goldnews.com.cy/en/6th-Annual-IN-Business-Awards-5/in-business-awards-13|title=6th Annual IN Business Awards|website=www.goldnews.com.cy|accessdate=12 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://city.sigmalive.com/article/825/yianis-o-megistanas|title=Yianis the Entrepreneur|date=8 March 2014|publisher=city.sigmalive.com|accessdate=15 January 2019}}</ref> Christodoulou is the president of the Monaco and Cyprus Jubilee Sailing Trust.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jst.org.uk/2018/10/john-christodoulou-appointed-jst-president-of-monaco-and-cyprus/|title=John Christodoulou Appointed JST President of Monaco and Cyprus|author=|date=|website=www.jst.org.uk|accessdate=11 January 2019}}</ref> ==Controversies== Christodoulou's business practices have attracted considerable media attention. ''[[The Times]]'' notes that "his company has been challenged by residents of a luxury development of more than 300 flats who complained they were being charged sky-high service charges and unreasonably high sums for repairs."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tax-haven-list-billionaires-with-a-grip-on-britain-from-abroad-6ghxxvb0d |title=Tax haven rich list part 2: Billionaires with a grip on Britain from abroad |publisher=The Times |accessdate=9 June 2019}}</ref> This is a reference to Canary Riverside, where the Christodoulou-appointed Marathon Estates was removed from controlling the site by the property tribunal in October 2016. It found that Marathon Estates "has been unable to produce accurate financial information on time, including budgets and accounts, has not engaged with leaseholders and has a muddled hierarchy of command."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leaseholdknowledge.com/john-christodoulou-minions-get-boot-canary-riverside |title=John Christodoulou minions get the boot at Canary Riverside |publisher=Leasehold Knowledge Partnership |accessdate=9 June 2019}}</ref> Allegations of chronic mismanagement of [[1 West India Quay]] have emerged in a ''[[Sunday Times]]'' feature on the leasehold property scandal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/leasehold-why-every-homeowner-should-be-worried-pqc8cqj3k |title=Leasehold: why every homeowner should be worried |publisher=Sunday Times |accessdate=9 June 2019}}</ref> Leaseholders there have taken legal action against Christodoulou over expensive energy bills, raising concerns that they have been subsidising his commercial interest on the site.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leaseholdknowledge.com/tribunal-to-rule-on-whether-west-india-quay-leaseholders-are-subbing-the-energy-costs-of-the-hotel-below |title=Tribunal to rule on whether West India Quay leaseholders are subbing the energy costs of the hotel below |publisher=Leasehold Knowledge Partnership |accessdate=9 June 2019}}</ref> In May 2014, they won the right to form a Recognised Tenants Association, despite Christodoulou having hired a QC and spent £74,000 in trying to block their efforts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leaseholdknowledge.com/west-india-quays-victory-74560-legal-onslaught-recognised-residents-association |title=West India Quay’s victory against £74,560 legal onslaught … for a recognised residents’ association |publisher=Leasehold Knowledge Partnership |accessdate=9 June 2019}}</ref> Christodoulou has also been named in parliament, with former MP for [[Poplar and Limehouse]] [[Jim Fitzpatrick (politician)|Jim Fitzpatrick]] claiming that the litigation and threats faced by the court-appointed manager at Canary Riverside are "little short of harassment".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leaseholdknowledge.com/billionaire-john-christodoulou-lawyer-david-marsden-accused-little-short-harassment-court-appointed-managing-agent |title=Billionaire John Christodoulou and his lawyer David Marsden accused of ‘little short of harassment’ of court-appointed managing agent|publisher=Leasehold Knowledge Partnership |accessdate=9 June 2019}}</ref> A former secretary of the [[1 West India Quay]] residents' association has been subjected to a defamation threat by Christodoulou's lawyers, as have 100 leaseholders at neighbouring Canary Riverside.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leaseholdknowledge.com/john-christodoulou-minions-get-boot-canary-riverside |title=John Christodoulou minions get the boot at Canary Riverside |publisher=Leasehold Knowledge Partnership |accessdate=9 June 2019}}</ref> In July 2018, his lawyers unsuccessfully sought to prevent the then local MP, [[Jim Fitzpatrick (politician)|Jim Fitzpatrick]], from raising the case of Canary Riverside in parliament. It had been claimed that Fitzpatrick's intervention could breach sub judice rules.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leaseholdknowledge.com/did-trowers-hamlins-try-to-stifle-parliamentary-debate |title=Canary Riverside’s lawyers at Trowers & Hamlins in ‘ill-conceived’ bid to thwart Parliamentary debate |publisher=Leasehold Knowledge Partnership |accessdate=9 June 2019}}</ref> In April 2020, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported that tenants at Somerford Grove, east London, were denied a 20% rent cut, in spite of the [[2019–20 coronavirus pandemic]] and their allegedly precarious employment situations. The renters are said to have been told by the lettings agent, acting on behalf of the three corporate landlords all “majority owned” by Christodoulou, that the request was “unreasonable” and “unrealistic”.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2020/apr/21/tenants-told-to-use-lunch-and-holiday-savings-to-pay-full-rent |title=Tenants told to use lunch and holiday savings to pay full rent |publisher=The Guardian |accessdate=2 May 2020}}</ref> Agent Tower Quay Properties, which the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' identified as a company ultimately owned by Christodoulou, suggested that “any drop in tenants’ income would be minimised by a reduction in spending on holidays, entertainment, travel, clothes and lunches.”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8244207/Billionaire-landlord-refuses-20-rent-cut-London-tower-block-tenants.html |title=Tenants ask for 20% rent cut on east London flats but landlord refuses because they are saving cash on holidays, lunches, travel and clothes |publisher=Daily Mail |accessdate=2 May 2020}}</ref> It added that coronavirus restrictions means “the wear and tear in properties is increasing, which will be at the cost of the landlord”. ''[[The Guardian]]'' report stated that Christodoulou was unaware of the tenants’ request “when it was initially made, or the agent’s response”. London mayor [[Sadiq Khan]] tweeted: “This is a prime example of how unrealistic it is to expect landlords & tenants to sort difficulties out amongst themselves,” and that the story is “exactly why” he is calling on government to “introduce immediate measures to protect tenants who go into arrears” because of the public health emergency.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/MayorofLondon/status/1253300511983521793?s=20 |title=This is a prime example of how unrealistic it is to expect landlords & tenants to sort difficulties out amongst themselves. It’s exactly why I’m urging the Govt to introduce immediate measures to protect tenants who go into arrears because of #COVID19.|publisher=Sadiq Khan |accessdate=2 May 2020}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Christodoulou, John}} [[Category:1965 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:English billionaires]] [[Category:British corporate directors]] [[Category:Cypriot billionaires]] [[Category:People from Nicosia]] [[Category:Cypriot emigrants to England]] [[Category:Businesspeople from London]] [[Category:Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:English people of Greek Cypriot descent]] [[Category:British expatriates in Monaco]] [[Category:Cypriot expatriates in Monaco]] {{UK-business-bio-stub}}'