John Christodoulou

John Christodoulou is the founder and owner of the Yianis Group, a London-based real estate firm with properties in the U.K. and Europe.

Born in Cyprus, he fled the country with his family after the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974 and resettled in the U.K.

He dropped out of school at age 16 and worked as a diamond mounter, using his early profits to buy his first property: a studio apartment in London.

The Yianis Group's portfolio includes residential, retail, office and hotel properties, including two five-star hotels in London's Canary Wharf.

The Monaco resident still maintains close ties with his birth country and his Yianis Christodoulou Foundation supports children's education in Cyprus.