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Daniel Křetínský (Czech pronunciation: [ˈdanɪjɛl ˈkr̝ɛciːnskiː], born 9 July 1975)[1] is a Czech billionaire businessman and lawyer, who is the chief executive officer (CEO) and 94% owner of Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH), co-owner and president of football club Sparta Prague, and director and major shareholder of English football club West Ham United.
Daniel Křetínský | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 July 1975 |
| Alma mater | Masaryk University |
| Known for | Chairman and 94% owner, EPH Co-owner and president, Sparta Prague Director, West Ham United |
His biological father is Mojmír Křetínský, informatics professor at Masaryk University,[2][3] and his mother, Michaela Židlická, is a former justice of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic.[4] His stepfather, who raised him, is photographer Vladimír Židlický.[4]
Early career
In 1999, Křetínský joined J&T as lawyer and became a partner in 2003.[3] Since 2004, he has been the chairman of football club Sparta Prague and he is believed to be its 40% shareholder.[5]
When J&T founded Energetický a průmyslový holding in 2009, he became its chairman and 20% shareholder.[6] He ceased to be a partner of J&T. In 2011, he became chairman and 60% shareholder of EP Industries, that was divested from EPH.[7] In 2016, he took 94% ownership of EPH through a series of transactions including EPH's sale of a 30% stake in subsidiary EPIF where the proceeds were used to buy out other shareholders.[8] As of 2022, EPIF owned 49% of Eustream, a Slovak gas transmission system operator which piped Russian gas to central and eastern Europe.[9]
Since 2014, he has been one of the owners of Czech media house Czech News Center which published the tabloid Blesk.[10]
2018–2020: French company purchase
In October 2018, staff at Le Monde learned that Křetínský had purchased 49% of Matthieu Pigasse's stake in the company. Le Monde's Independency Group, a minority shareholder that aims to protect the paper's editorial independence, had not been informed of the sale, and asked Pigasse and Křetínský to sign an "approval agreement" that would give the Independency Group the right to approve or reject any controlling shareholder. As of September 2019[update], they had not done so.[11][12]
On 12 March 2020, Jérôme Lefilliâtre, a French journalist, published Mister K, Petites et grandes affaires de Daniel Kretinsky (Le Seuil Editions), an investigative book about the Czech billionaire.[13][14][15]
On 16 September 2020, his holding company, Vesa Equity Investment Sarl, announced a 3.05% holding interest in the shares of J Sainsbury plc, a major supermarket chain in the United Kingdom.[16] By November, Křetínský's holding company Vesa Equity Investment Sarl also became the largest shareholder of Foot Locker.[17]
2021–2022
On 10 November 2021, English football club West Ham United announced Křetínský and his colleague Pavel Horský had acquired 27% of the shares of the club, both becoming directors.[18]
On 25 August 2022, Royal Mail in the United Kingdom was notified by the British government that Křetínský's Vesa Equity Investment Sarl, the then single largest investor of Royal Mail, had plans to increase its shareholding to more than 25%. This triggered intervention and a British government review by Kwasi Kwarteng the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Business under the National Security and Investment Act. On 31 October 2022, the Secretary of State for Business approved Křetínský's intention to increase Vesa's shareholding in Royal Mail (owned by parent company International Distributions Services).[19]
2024
In April 2024, the owner of Royal Mail, International Distribution Services (IDS), received a takeover approach from Křetínský.[20] The 320p a share offer was rejected by IDS.[21] However, on 29 May, the owners of Royal Mail accepted an offer of 360 pence a share, and the sale awaits government approval. [22] Křetínský has committed in writing to honouring the Universal Service Obligation for five years.[23]
A consortium led by Křetínský will own and control 53.7% of the share capital of French retailer Groupe Casino.[24] In June, ThyssenKrupp announced that the start of reconstruction of the struggling Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe will take place over the summer and that Daniel Kretinsky wants to take a 20% stake without layoffs.[25]
Strategy
In a speech in 2015, Křetínský said: "We want to make money in industries that are dying because we think they'll die much more slowly than the general consensus says."[26]
Křetínský is dating Anna Kellnerová, the daughter of his business associate Petr Kellner, who was the richest man in the country.[27]
In 2015, he acquired the Heath Hall mansion in London for £65 million,[28][29] featuring 15 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, a cinema, and a tennis court.
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