Sir Elias George Kulukundis OBE was a member of a Greek shipping family whose professional career spanned shipping and the theatre.
17 Facts About Eddie Kulukundis
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Elias George Eddie Kulukundis was born on 20 April 1932 at 26 Warbeck Street in London, the son of a Greek shipping family who had made their home in London.
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Eddie Kulukundis's parents moved to New York City when he was eight.
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Eddie Kulukundis attended Salisbury School until 1950, and was an Emeritus Trustee of the school.
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Eddie Kulukundis changed his name by deed poll to Eddie Kulukundis on 23 September 1993.
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Eddie Kulukundis entered the shipping industry by working on tramp steamers in the Mediterranean.
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Eddie Kulukundis suffered mounting losses, and after it had sold all but two of its ships and all shoreside assets, he resigned on 11 December 1985.
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Eddie Kulukundis rejoined the board of the much-reduced company in 1988 following the death of company president Manuel Kulukundis, and the death of his nephew, Minas Kulukundis, in the Lockerbie air disaster while flying to attend the funeral of his uncle and godfather Captain Nicholas Kulukundis.
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On 1 November 1997, LOF was sold to Frontline Freighters AB of Sweden and Eddie Kulukundis resigned from the board.
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Eddie Kulukundis continued to hold positions with the family company Rethymnis and Kulukundis Ltd, which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1998.
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Eddie Kulukundis co-produced the 1976 Tony Award-winning play Travesties by Tom Stoppard.
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In 1993, Eddie Kulukundis was part of a consortium that took over the struggling Duke of York's Theatre on St Martin's Lane.
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The consortium became the Ambassador Theatre Group, of which Eddie Kulukundis was Life President and a major shareholder.
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In November 1998, Eddie Kulukundis came second in the contest to become the first elected president of UK Athletics to former Olympic champion David Hemery.
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Eddie Kulukundis served as chairman of the London Coaching Foundation, the Midland Coaching Foundation, and Athletes Youth Performance; vice-president of UK Athletics; chairman of the British Athletic Field Event Charitable Trust; and as chairman and patron of the Belgrave Harriers athletics club.
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Eddie Kulukundis died at his home in SW London on 17 February 2021, aged 88.
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Eddie Kulukundis was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to Sport in the 1988 Birthday Honours, and knighted for charitable services to Sport and to the Arts in the 1993 Birthday Honours.