{{short description|Czech businessman and lawyer (born 1975)}} {{Infobox person | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1975|7|9}} | birth_place = Brno, Czechoslovakia | alma_mater = Masaryk University | occupation = Businessman | title = {{ubl|Co-owner and chairman, EPH|Co-owner and president, Sparta Prague|Co-owner and director, West Ham United}} | partner = Anna Kellnerová (2017–2023) }} '''Daniel Křetínský''' ({{IPA|cs|ˈdanɪjɛl ˈkr̝ɛtiːnskiː|lang}}; born 9 July 1975)<ref>{{Cite news|first=Oliver|last=Shah|title=The Czech Sphinx speaks: Daniel Kretinsky on the future of Royal Mail and Sainsbury's |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/the-czech-sphinx-speaks-daniel-kretinsky-on-the-future-of-royal-mail-and-sainsburys-hm2l32sm3|website=The Times|date=29 April 2024|issn=0140-0460}}</ref> 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.
==Early life== His biological father is Mojmír Křetínský, computer science professor at Masaryk University,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Personal Page prof. RNDr. Mojmír Křetínský, CSc.|url=https://is.muni.cz/osoba/mojmir?lang=en|website=Masaryk University|access-date=8 July 2024}}</ref><ref name=mot>{{Cite web|first=Miroslav|last=Motejlek|title=Zázračný mladý muž čekající na skutečně velký obchod|url=https://www.motejlekskocdopole.com/zazracny-mlady-muz-cekajici-na-skutecne-velky-obchod/|website=MotejlekSkocdopole.com|date=4 July 2009|access-date=12 April 2020|language=cs}}</ref> and his mother, Michaela Židlická, is a former justice of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic.<ref name="aktualne">{{Cite web|title=Na fotbalovou trofej umělecky dohlédl Křetínského druhý otec|url=https://zpravy.aktualne.cz/denik-insider/na-fotbalovou-trofej-umelecky-dohledl-kretinskeho-druhy-otec/r~i:insider:article:18297/|website=Aktuálně.cz|publisher=Economia|date=1 March 2020|access-date=29 April 2024|language=cs}}</ref> His stepfather, who raised him, is photographer Vladimír Židlický.<ref name="aktualne"/>
==Career== ===Early career=== In 1999, Křetínský joined J&T as lawyer and became a partner in 2003.<ref name=mot/> Since 2004, he has been the chairman of football club Sparta Prague and he is believed to be its 40% shareholder.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Šéf klubu Křetínský kupuje 40 procent akcií fotbalové Sparty|url=https://fotbal.idnes.cz/sef-klubu-kretinsky-kupuje-40-procent-akcii-fotbalove-sparty-pl9-/fotbal.aspx?c=A120307_094837_fotbal_rou|website=Mladá fronta Dnes|date=7 March 2022|language=cs}}</ref>
When J&T founded Energetický a průmyslový holding in 2009, he became its chairman and 20% shareholder.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://byznys.ihned.cz/c1-51709130-energeticky-a-prumyslovy-holding-se-chysta-za-dva-roky-na-burzu|title=Energetický a průmyslový holding se chystá za dva roky na burzu|website=Hospodářské noviny|publisher=Economia|date=28 April 2011|language=cs}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epholding.cz/en/press-releases/the-ep-industries-group-finalises-its-shareholding-structure/|title=The EP Industries group finalises its shareholding structure|website=Energetický a Průmyslový Holding|date=14 February 2012}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epholding.cz/en/press-releases/eph-ocekava-zmenu-akcionarske-struktury/|title=EPH expects a change in its shareholder structure|website=Energetický a Průmyslový Holding|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> As of 2022, EPIF owned 49% of {{ill|Eustream|sk}}, a Slovak gas transmission system operator which piped Russian gas to central and eastern Europe.<ref name=guardian-20231227>{{Cite news|first=Anna|last=Isaac|title=Chuka Umunna advises Czech tycoon accused of Royal Mail plot|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/dec/27/chuka-umunna-advises-czech-tycoon-accused-of-royal-mail-plot|newspaper=The Guardian|date=27 December 2023 |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
Since 2014, he has been one of the owners of Czech media house Czech News Center which published the tabloid ''Blesk''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://zpravy.aktualne.cz/ekonomika/kretinsky-a-tkac-definitivne-prevzali-ringier-zmeni-nazev/r~701f6212d05511e3ad22002590604f2e/|title=Křetínský a Tkáč definitivně převzali Ringier, změní název|website=Aktualne.cz|agency=Czech News Agency|date=30 April 2014|publisher=Economia|language=cs}}</ref>
===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|2019|09}}, they had not done so.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Kim|last=Willsher|title=Le Monde journalists warn of threat to editorial independence|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/10/le-monde-journalists-warn-of-threat-to-editorial-independence|newspaper=The Guardian|date=10 September 2019|access-date=13 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=We, "Le Monde" journalists...|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/actualite-medias/article/2019/09/10/we-le-monde-journalists_5508610_3236.html|newspaper=Le Monde |date=10 September 2019|access-date=13 September 2019}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2020/03/11/mister-k-la-strategie-ambigue-de-daniel-kretinsky_6032560_3232.html|title="Mister K": la stratégie ambiguë de Daniel Kretinsky|work=Le Monde|date=11 March 2020|access-date=12 April 2020|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lesechos.fr/idees-debats/livres/enquete-sur-un-milliardaire-au-dessus-de-tout-soupcon-1184974|title=Enquête sur un milliardaire au-dessus de tout soupçon|website=Les Echos|date=13 March 2020|access-date=12 April 2024|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Q&A: Jérôme Lefilliâtre on the Czech oligarch cornering the French media market|url=https://www.cjr.org/q_and_a/lefilliatre-daniel-kretinsky-le-monde.php|website=Columbia Journalism Review|access-date=13 May 2020}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Czech billionaire Kretinsky ups bet on retail with Sainsbury's stake|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sainsbury-stake-vesa-equity/czech-billionaire-kretinsky-ups-bet-on-retail-with-sainsburys-stake-idUSKBN26825L|website=Reuters|date=16 September 2020|access-date=18 September 2020}}</ref> By November, Křetínský's holding company Vesa Equity Investment Sarl also became the largest shareholder of Foot Locker.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Czech Billionaire Raises Foot Locker Stake to Become Top Holder|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-26/billionaire-who-bought-macy-s-stake-increases-foot-locker-bet|website=Bloomberg|date=26 November 2020|access-date=18 September 2021}}</ref>
===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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=West Ham United statement|website=West Ham United F.C.|access-date=10 November 2021|url=https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2021/november/10-november/west-ham-united-statement|date=10 November 2021}}</ref>
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).<ref>{{Cite web|title=UK will not take action over Czech mogul's plan to raise Royal Mail stake|url=https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/headlines/2232918-uk-will-not-take-action-over-czech-moguls-plan-to-raise-royal-mail-stake|website=Devdiscourse|date=16 September 2020|access-date=31 October 2022}}</ref>
=== 2024–present === In April 2024, the owner of Royal Mail, International Distribution Services (IDS), received a takeover approach from Křetínský.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský says Royal Mail owner rejected takeover approach|url=https://www.ft.com/content/a6f0251b-454b-4aa8-9c16-aee03f0c2e46|website=Financial Times|access-date=17 April 2024}}</ref> The 320p-a-share offer was rejected by IDS.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Rob|last=Davies|title=Union appears to accept Royal Mail proposal to cut most Saturday deliveries|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/apr/28/union-appears-to-accept-royal-mail-proposal-to-cut-most-saturday-deliveries|newspaper=The Guardian|date=28 April 2024|access-date=29 April 2024|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> However, on 29 May, the owners of Royal Mail accepted an offer of 360 pence a share.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Jack|last=Simpson|title=Royal Mail owner agrees to £3.57bn takeover by Czech billionaire|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/may/29/royal-mail-owner-agrees-to-takeover-by-czech-billionaire|newspaper=The Guardian|date=29 May 2024}}</ref> Křetínský has committed in writing to honouring the Universal Service Obligation for five years.<ref>{{Cite web|first1=Simon|last1=Jack|first2=Tom|last2=Espiner|title=Royal Mail will deliver letters forever, vows buyer|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4ngjx9nn92o|newspaper=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=16 July 2024}}</ref> The acquisition, worth £3.6 billion, was approved in December 2024, with the UK government retaining a "golden share" in Royal Mail, requiring its approval of any major changes to Royal Mail's ownership, HQ location and tax residency.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Royal Mail takeover by Czech billionaire approved|first1=Simon|last1=Jack|first2=Nick|last2=Edser|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg93390808o |date=16 December 2024|website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref>
A consortium led by Křetínský will own and control 53.7% of the share capital of French retailer Groupe Casino.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|title=Paris court approves Casino bailout by Czech billionaire Křetínský|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/paris-court-gives-green-light-kretinsky-led-bailout-plan-casino-consortium-2024-02-26/|website=Reuters|date=26 February 2024}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite news|first1=Christoph|last1=Steitz|first2=Thomas|last2=Käckenhoff|title=Thyssenkrupp steel revamp to happen without forced layoffs|url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/thyssenkrupp-steel-revamp-happen-without-forced-layoffs-2024-06-24/|website=Reuters|date=24 June 2024}}</ref>
In February 2025, EP Global Commerce GmbH ("EPGC"), a holding company controlled by Křetínský which holds approximately 49.99 percent of the voting rights in the Metro AG, entered into a delisting agreement with the retail company and issued a revocation of the admission of METRO AG shares to trading on the regulated market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.<ref>{{Cite web |title=EQS-Adhoc: METRO AG and EPGC agree on delisting of METRO shares – Company Announcement - FT.com |url=https://markets.ft.com/data/announce/detail?dockey=600-202502051209DGAP____ADHOC____adhoc_2081939_en-1 |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=markets.ft.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=EQS-Adhoc: METRO AG und EPGC vereinbaren Delisting der METRO Aktien |url=https://www.boerse.de/nachrichten/EQS-Adhoc-METRO-AG-und-EPGC-vereinbaren-Delisting-der-METRO-Aktien/36996999 |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=boerse.de |language=de}}</ref>
==Personal life== Křetínský was dating Anna Kellnerová, the daughter of his business associate Petr Kellner, who was the richest man in the country.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ten Czechs and Slovaks listed in Forbes ranking of world's billionaires|url=https://kafkadesk.org/2019/03/13/ten-czechs-and-slovaks-listed-in-forbes-ranking-of-worlds-billionaires/|website=Kafkadesk|date=13 March 2019|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>
In 2015, he acquired the Heath Hall mansion in north London for £65 million,<ref>{{Cite web|title=West Ham billionaire Daniel Kretinsky's stunning £65m London supermansion he once rented to Justin Bieber|url=https://www.hammers.news/news/west-ham-billionaire-daniel-kretinskys-stunning-65m-london-supermansion-he-once-rented-to-justin-bieber/|website=Hammers News|date=16 November 2021|access-date=27 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Pourquoi Daniel Kretinsky a recours à des paradis fiscaux|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/actualite-medias/article/2018/11/08/pourquoi-daniel-kretinsky-a-recours-a-des-paradis-fiscaux_5380695_3236.html|newspaper=Le Monde|date=8 November 2018|access-date=27 March 2023|language=fr}}</ref> featuring 15 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, a cinema, and a tennis court.
==References== <references />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kretinsky, Daniel}} Category:Businesspeople from Brno Category:Czech billionaires Category:1975 births Category:21st-century Czech lawyers Category:Living people Category:Czech football chairmen and investors Category:Energetický a průmyslový holding Category:Masaryk University alumni Category:West Ham United F.C. directors and chairmen Category:French mass media owners Category:AC Sparta Prague non-playing staff