It is uncommon for a businessman to make headlines for both a gun-wielding pitch invasion and philanthropy. Surprisingly, though, Ivan Savvidis has accomplished both. His presence in Greek politics and football is unmistakably audacious—never subdued, never coincidental.
Savvidis, who was raised in Soviet Georgia, climbed into Russia’s business elite after surviving the harshness of factory life. He took over Donskoy Tabak, a local tobacco factory that he would later sell to Japan Tobacco for $1.6 billion, following the fall of the USSR. That agreement served as the springboard for his expanding goals, providing him with a means of financing his reputation, legacy, and influence.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ivan Ignatyevich Savvidis |
| Birthdate & Origin | March 27, 1959 – Tsalka, Georgia (Pontic Greek heritage) |
| Citizenship | Russia and Greece |
| Primary Businesses | Tobacco (Donskoy Tabak), Real Estate, Hospitality, Media, Football |
| Flagship Assets | PAOK FC, Dimera Media, Porto Carras Resort, SEKAP, Belterra Investments |
| Political Role | Former Russian Duma MP (United Russia Party) |
| Net Worth Estimate | $1.7 billion (Forbes, 2025) |
| Major Controversies | 2018 PAOK gun incident, Ukraine sanctions, media influence in Greece |
| External Reference | Forbes Profile – Ivan Savvidis |
He turned his focus to Greece by 2012. Purchasing PAOK FC was a declaration of return rather than merely an investment. He had been called back by his Pontic Greek roots, and Thessaloniki became the epicenter of that personal and cultural renaissance. He solidified his reputation as a savior to devoted supporters by paying the club’s outstanding debts, totaling over €10 million, in a matter of years.
His playbook, however, was not limited to athletics. He established himself as a media powerbroker by acquiring significant Greek newspapers and TV stations through his Dimera Group. Despite being especially successful, that tactic aroused suspicions. Complexity was further increased by his dual citizenship and previous position as a Russian MP close to Vladimir Putin.
Due to his connections to the Russian government, Ukraine seized his regional assets in 2024. The act itself wasn’t shocking, but it had a lasting negative impact on his travels in Greece. However, a lot of people in Thessaloniki still see him as a patron—someone who restored both the stadium and the city’s reputation.
Savvidis’s talent for timing is a recurring theme in all of his endeavors. He gains leverage in hardship by investing in distressed assets, such as tobacco, newspapers, and football teams. Despite controversy, these calculated risks have proven to be very effective for long-term control.
There is still a single, vivid moment. During a refereeing dispute in 2018, Savvidis stormed a PAOK pitch while brandishing a holstered pistol. Football officials were shocked by that act, which was widely reported, and discussions about oligarchic overreach in sports were rekindled. Curiously, though, it also strengthened his mythology. He was seen by some as a careless owner. A patriarch who fiercely defended what was rightfully his.
Today’s Savvidis portfolio shows a power map that has been carefully chosen. Prime ministers used to visit his historic resorts, such as Porto Carras. He is the chairman of Belterra Investments, a significant port and real estate management company. He sustains cross-border cultural influence through diaspora councils and Greek Orthodox channels.
He has significantly withdrawn from the spotlight in recent years. His media presence has diminished, and his sons have assumed more prominent roles. However, the legacy is still deeply ingrained. His influence seems purposefully permanent, from luxury real estate to restored Byzantine churches.
His generosity is especially evident in the way he hosts hundreds of Ukrainian refugees at his resort, funds education, and renovates religious sites. Even though they are greatly appreciated, these actions also improve his reputation, particularly when his connections to Russia are under investigation.
Savvidis’s capacity to play several roles—industrialist, politician, and cultural benefactor—without ever fully committing to just one is what makes him so fascinating. His success has increased due to his presence as well as his output. Owning networks, institutions, and narratives has given him the ability to influence results rather than just profit from them.
According to Forbes, he will be worth $1.7 billion in 2025. However, that character seems to be a small part of the narrative. His ability to influence, exert control over, and seem indispensable in any field he enters accounts for a large portion of his worth.
It’s unclear how his empire will change in the future due to shifting economic alliances and geopolitical unrest. Savvidis has undoubtedly mastered the art of presence, though. He knows how to make an impression, whether on a football field or in a boardroom.
His narrative provides a significantly better understanding of how calculated investments, patriotic narratives, and diaspora capital can change reputations as well as fortunes. Savvidis represents diasporic ambition and serves as a case study of contemporary oligarchy for Greece.
His legacy is already beginning to take shape in the context of contemporary Europe, where politics, business, and identity are increasingly intertwined. And there’s no denying that Ivan Savvidis has made a particularly lasting impression, regardless of whether one sees him as a manipulator or a builder.