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On February 23, the entire HCHC community had the extraordinary opportunity to hear Nicholas Logothetis share his insights on business and philanthropy in conversation with HCHC’s President, Rev. Fr. Christopher T. Metropulos. Fr. Christopher spoke for all present in saying, “We are all extremely delighted to welcome Mr. Logothetis to our campus. We welcome his perspective on global affairs and world business, and on his lifetime commitment to service and faith.”
Only 29—younger than some of our students—Nicholas Logothetis has accomplished more already than most people twice his age. As one of four sons in the third generation of a family business, the Libra Group, he has literally grown up in it and been an integral part of its phenomenal expansion from a small shipping company to a global powerhouse. The Libra Group now controls 30 subsidiaries active in 35 countries across six continents, with six primary areas of focus, ranging from aviation to renewable energy.
Three words appear on the home page of the Libra Group’s website: “Responsible. Thoughtful. Global.” Those same words could be applied to Nicholas Logothetis and the reflections he offered at HCHC. On working for a family business, he said, “Business has always been part of our family and vice versa. It can be challenging at times, but our parents really instilled in us the belief in ‘All for one and one for all’ and we’re lucky in that we all get along. Make no mistake, though—it’s a meritocracy. We have all had to earn a place in the business.” He later elaborated on that theme by saying that all professional opportunities should be earned not through entitlement but through a combination of talent, hard work, and the ability to collaborate effectively.
Hellenic students were especially excited to hear about Libra’s many social initiatives, especially its global internship program, which Mr. Logothetis described as “our pride and joy.” The program, open to undergraduates currently enrolled at any accredited institution anywhere in the world, offers over 100 paid internships each year at the Libra Group and its subsidiaries. He strongly urged the undergraduates in the audience to apply.
While still a college student himself, Mr. Logothetis and a friend who shared his commitment to social change lay the groundwork for Concordia, a nonprofit organization that fosters public-private partnerships to create a more prosperous and sustainable future. “It’s imperative for government and business, working together, to solve global problems,” he stressed. Among many programs sponsored by Concordia is an annual summit, of which there have been six so far. “We had maybe 100 people at the first one. At the most recent one we had 2,500, including many heads of state, heads of Fortune 500 companies, and Vice President Biden as the keynote speaker.” The next summit will be in Athens this June.
About visiting HCHC, Mr. Logothetis said, “I’ve never been here before, but I hope this will be the first of many visits.” Everyone who had the pleasure and privilege of hearing him speak surely hopes so too.
