This Greek shipowner lived in Lausanne, the heart of the Swiss Greek community. Born on the Island of Oinuse, Costas Lemos succeeded in building his shipping industry just before the Second World War and maintained a small fleet.
During the fifties, he took advantage of the new-found growth and launched into the lucrative supertanker business. He survived the 1974 oil crisis relatively unscathed. With a fleet of 38 ships, Costas Lemos was Greece's third largest shipowner in 1980, after John Spyridon Latsis and Aristotle Onassis.
In the eighties, Costas Lemos delved into real estate and lost part of his fortune. In an attempt to be a good patriot, he invested in bad tourism projects in Greece and lost several million dollars.
Upon retiring to Lausanne, Costas Lemos did not loose sight of his initial activity and retained a fleet of five ships. His children assumed control of the company after his death and now manage his 2 billion dollar fortune. His son Michael C. Lemos lives in London, while his daughters have remained in Greece.