Antenna mourns founder Kyriakou

The founder and chairman of Greece’s Antenna Group died suddenly on Sunday at the age of 75.

Minos Kyriakou

Media and shipping magnate Minos Kyriakou suffered a suspected heart attack over the weekend, according to a statement from the operator of Greece’s flagship commercial channel ANT1.

A spokesman said: “It is with deep emotion and sadness that the Kyriakou family bids farewell to our beloved Minos, who left life suddenly from a heart attack in the late afternoon. Respect and deep sorrow are upon all the people who work in all the businesses of Minos Kyriakou’s Group.”

Born in 1942, Kyriakou followed in the footsteps of his family which had been active in shipping since 1852 but lost its fortunes during the world wars.

After studying in France and Switzerland, he started his own shipping company aged 23, developing quickly into a prominent figure in the industry.

During the 1980s, Minos became interested in media investment. He founded Antenna Radio and subsequently ANT1 – one of the first privately owned channels in Greece, which revolutionised the local TV business and remains among the country’s top broadcasters. It has produced more than 200 dramas and 150,000 hours of content since the emergence of Greek private television in 1989.

In the following years, Kyriakou continued to invest in media and entertainment, inside and outside Greece, founding the Amsterdam-based Antenna Group.

In 2000, Antenna acquired Nova Television Bulgaria for US$3m and sold it in 2008 for US$970m, marking one of the largest ROIs ever achieved by a European media company.

Other TV channels owned by Antenna include the rebranded PRVA in Serbia and Montenegro, Kiss TV in Romania and Makedonia TV in Greece. The activities of Antenna Group today span 20 countries and 12 different sectors, including content production, pay TV, record companies and a training academy for broadcast-related professions.

Kyriakou had also served as chairman of the Hellenic Olympic Committee and chairman of the International Olympic Academy, and was Honorary Consul General of both Singapore and Poland in Greece.

Father to Athena, Xenophon and Theodore (CEO of Antenna Group), Minos Kyriacou is today celebrated in the local press as a business visionary and a discreet philanthropist.