Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis HN was born in Episkopi of Rethimon , Crete in 1961.  He joined the Hellenic Naval Academy in 1981 and graduated in 1985 as Ensign of the Hellenic Navy.

His operational service includes more than 15 years deployment at sea on board surface strike units, 7 years of which as Commanding Officer of FAC VLACHAVAS (Ρ-74), FAC VOTSIS (P-72) and FFG NIKIFOROS FOKAS (F-466).

His staff assignments include the Hellenic Navy Attack Craft Command and the Naval Personnel Directorate at the Hellenic Navy General Staff. He has also served as the Commander of the Hellenic Navy Training Center “Palaskas”.

He has completed tours as Naval Attaché of Greece in Rome (Italy) and as Defence Attaché of Greece in Cairo (Egypt).

As a flag officer he was appointed Head of the B’ Branch (Human Resources) of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, and consecutively Head of the B’ Branch of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff.

On 2019 he was promoted to Vice Admiral and assumed the Command of the Hellenic Fleet.

On January 2020, upon a decision of the Governmental Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence, he was appointed Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff.

He is a graduate of the Hellenic Joint Staff College, the Naval War College and the Hellenic National Defence College.

He holds all of the Hellenic Armed Forces Decorations and Medals up to his rank and the EU Medal for participation in Operation EUNAVFOR “ATALANTA”.

Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis HN is married to Nicoletta Garavella and is the father of a son and a daughter.

He speaks English fluently.