Nikolas P. Tsakos is the Founder, President and CEO of Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN) Limited, a pioneering company and the longest established Greek shipping public listing. TEN was firstly quoted on the Oslo Bors in 1993 and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) since March 2002. TEN owns and operates one of the youngest fleets in the world with 75 tankers of approximately 8m dwt, currently including a modern diversified fleet of conventional and ice-class environmentally-friendly vessels covering LNG, DP2 Shuttle tankers, VLCCs, Suezmaxes, Aframaxes, Panamaxes and Handysize tankers.
Mr Tsakos comes from a traditional Chios seafaring family and has been involved in the maritime industry since 1981. He spent two years at sea and served as an officer in the Hellenic Navy. He received his BA Degree in Economics and Political Science from Columbia University, New York in 1985 and his Masters’ Degree in Shipping Trade and Finance from the City University Business School in London in 1987. He is married with three children.
In June 2022, Mr Tsakos was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee (GSCC) in London.
In 2014, he was elected as Chairman of the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO), a position he held until 2018. He additionally holds seats on various boards and associations and was formerly Chairman (2002-2006) of the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA). In 2011, he received an Honorary Doctorate from the City University Business School for his pioneering work in the equity financial markets relating to shipping companies.
In March 2023, Mr Tsakos was awarded “Person of the Year” by the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce in New York. In 2021, Mr Tsakos was inducted into the International Maritime Hall of Fame and received the Tanker Shipping & Trade “Tanker Operator of the Year” award. In 2018, he was presented with The Maritime Standard “International Maritime Personality of the Year” award and Seatrade’s “Personality of the Year” award. In 2017, he received the Tanker Shipping & Trade “Industry Leader” award and in 2015, Capital Link’s “Maritime CSR Leadership” award and Lloyd’s List “Newsmaker of the Year” award. Mr Tsakos also received Lloyd’s List “Best Tanker Operator” award in 2006, “EUROPE’s 500” award in 2005, Lloyd’s List award to HELMEPA for achievement for clean and safe seas in 2004 and “Best Maritime Manager of the New Generation”, awarded at the Academy of Athens.
Mr Tsakos is the Co-Founder of the Maria Tsakos Foundation (named after his late sister), a charitable organization established for the well-being and education of young, talented men and women, focusing on maritime studies and tradition.
