---
title: "George Economou: Globalbasis and Signa’s ownership changes"
language: en
canonical: https://osint.v3rta.com/dossiers/signa-holding/participants/george-economou/
as_of: 2026-10-10
keywords: ["SIGNA Holding GmbH","SIGNA Prime Selection","SIGNA Development Selection","René Benko","Familie Benko Privatstiftung","Laura Privatstiftung","Ingbe Stiftung","Supraholding","ownership","insolvency","corporate governance","asset recovery","criminal proceedings"]
---

# George Economou: Globalbasis and Signa’s ownership changes

**Question.** How did George Economou invest in Signa and exit the holding?

**Answer.** Economou invested through Cyprus-based Globalbasis; retained 2015 accounts describe a staged reduction and his exit as Falcon and Tanner entered.

## The Globalbasis investment

- Analysis: The retained 2011 profile calls Greek shipowner George Economou the investor who replaced early financier Karl Kovarik through Cyprus-based Globalbasis Limited. A later April 2015 account says Economou had acquired roughly half of SIGNA Holding in 2009. A September 2015 account dates his entry to 2008 instead. The precise entry date remains a source discrepancy; the supported mechanism is an indirect investment through Globalbasis rather than a personally registered Holding share. [s-d293] [s-d308] [s-d330]
- Analysis: Before the April 2015 transaction the reported legal stakes were Globalbasis 50%, Familie Benko Privatstiftung 49.0476% and RB Immobilienverwaltungs 0.9524%. The account quotes a notified intended purchase of another 25.1% by the family foundation, producing a projected direct-and-indirect total of about 74.15%. The rounded 25% headline does not replace the notification’s precise figure, and notification alone does not prove completion on that day. [s-d293]

## Other holdings and the reported exit

- Analysis: The same ownership reorganisation also concerned the Park Hyatt Vienna operating company, Am Hof 2 Hotelbetriebs GmbH. An April 2015 account quotes Holding’s notified intended purchase of 100% from Cardiff Marine Inc., Liberia, described as Economou’s shipping group. That is a proposed acquisition of the hotel operator; it does not establish ownership of every associated property asset. [s-d318]
- Analysis: A September 2015 company-announcement account says Economou left Holding as Falcon Private Bank took 24.9% and Ernst Tanner 10%, with the remaining 65.1% described economically as Benko’s. Economic descriptions must remain separate from the legal investment vehicles recorded in registers. SIGNA’s archived 2013 page had also listed Economou on its advisory board, a governance role distinct from his investment. [s-d308] [s-d260]
- Attributed: A retained September 2015 company-announcement account says George Economou left SIGNA Holding, Falcon Private Bank entered with 24.9% and Ernst Tanner with 10%. It describes the remaining 65.1% as belonging economically to Benko and lists him among advisory-board members. [s-d308]
  - Qualification: The economic-owner wording must not replace the actual holding vehicles shown in legal registers. The account dates Economou’s entry to 2008, while another retained account dates it to 2009; the precise entry date remains a source discrepancy.
- Documented: SIGNA’s archived September 2013 advisory-board page listed René Benko, Alfred Gusenbauer, George Economou, Karl Samstag, Karl Stoss, Susanne Riess, Peter Hasskamp, Rainer de Backere and Wendelin Wiedeking. [s-d260]
  - Qualification: This is the company’s historical self-description at the archived date. Placement first in the list does not prove chairmanship; membership is distinct from a managing-director appointment.

## Sources

- [s-d293] Media source · s-d293
- [s-d308] Media source · s-d308
- [s-d330] Media source · s-d330
- [s-d318] Media source · s-d318
- [s-d260] Company statement source · s-d260