George 'Georgios' Economou is a Greek billionaire shipowner, the CEO of DryShips Inc. (former), and the owner of Cardiff Marine. His wealth is rooted in the essential, high-stakes industry of maritime shipping and offshore drilling. Born in Athens, Greece, in 1953, his father owned a small paper-products company.

Economou received an elite technical education, studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he obtained an M.Sc. in naval architecture and marine engineering, and another M.Sc. in shipping and shipbuilding management. This mastery of maritime engineering and financial management provided the foundation for his massive global fleet operations.

George Economou's career is defined by his aggressive acquisitions and leveraged financing in the shipping sector. He managed his dry bulk and tanker fleet through his private firm, Cardiff Marine, and led the publicly traded company DryShips Inc. His success is tied to his mastery of market timing in the volatile shipping and commodity cycles, often taking large, contrarian positions in oil tankers and dry bulk ships.

He is equally famous for his world-class art collection (the George Economou Collection), which began evolving in the 1990s and includes works by masters of early 20th-century European art (e.g., German Expressionism, Otto Dix) and contemporary artists. He is included in the Lloyd's List of the One Hundred Most Influential People in the Shipping Industry. His wealth is secured by the massive scale of his fleet and the appreciating value of his fine art assets.

George Economou's social impact is structural, stemming from his shipping fleet's role in global commodity transport (oil, bulk cargo), which is essential to the world economy. His companies provide thousands of jobs in the maritime and offshore sectors.

His structural contribution is also cultural: he founded the George Economou Collection and actively supports international arts institutions (serving on the board of the Tate Foundation and the Dia Art Foundation), ensuring public engagement with modern art.

George Economou maintains the professional, composed style of a Greek shipowner. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic is one of serious authority, blending his industrial background with his deep commitment to the arts.

Residing in Athens, Greece, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to maritime trade, asset management, and his passion for art collection, which he actively shares through exhibitions in Athens and internationally.