Admiral 'Panagiotis Chinofotis' (
Greek 'Παναγιώτης Χηνοφώτης', also transliterated ''Panayiotis Khinofotis'', born
August 12,
1949) is the current Chief of the
Hellenic National Defense General Staff.
Born in
Athens, Chinofotis graduated from the
Hellenic Naval Academy and was commissioned an Ensign in
1971. He served aboard several patrol boats, destroyers and frigates of the
Hellenic Navy before being sent to the
Hellenic Naval War College, from which he graduated in
1986. He was then sent to study at the
United States Naval War College and
Salve Regina University, from which he graduated with a master's degree in international relations.
After graduation, Chinofotis was promoted to Commander, and was made commandant of the Hellenic Naval War College. In 1991, he was made commander of the HS ''
Lemnos'', flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, Hellenic Fleet.
In 1993, Chinofotis began a two-year assignment as Hellenic Military Representative to
NATO in
Brussels. He next spent a year as Commander of the Hellenic First Fleet, followed by a tour as Deputy Military Representative of Greece to the
European Union, serving as chairman of the Military Working Group during Greece's EU Presidency.
Chinofotis next progressed through several staff assignments until, in
2004, by now a rear admiral, he became Commander-in-Chief of the Hellenic Fleet. A year later, he was promoted to Admiral and assumed his present position.
External links
★
Official biography