Daniel Křetínský
Daniel Křetínský | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 9, 1975 Czech Republic |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, attorney |
| Known for | CEO and 94% owner of Energetický a průmyslový holding; co-owner and president of Sparta Prague; director and shareholder of West Ham United |
Daniel Křetínský (; born 9 July 1975) is a Czech billionaire entrepreneur and attorney, serving as CEO and holding 94% ownership of Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH). He is also co-owner and president of the football club Sparta Prague and acts as a director and significant shareholder of English football team West Ham United.
Early life
His biological father, Mojmír Křetínský, is a professor specializing in computer science at Masaryk University, while his mother, Michaela Židlická, previously served as a justice on the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic. He was brought up by his stepfather, Vladimír Židlický, who is a professional photographer.
Early career
Křetínský began his professional journey in 1999 at J&T as a legal advisor and advanced to partner status by 2003. From 2004 onwards, he has led football club Sparta Prague as chairman, holding approximately a 40% ownership share.
When Energetický a průmyslový holding was established by J&T in 2009, he took on the role of chairman and acquired a 20% stake before eventually departing from J&T. In 2011, he purchased a 60% interest and the chairmanship of EP Industries, which was later separated from EPH. By 2016, through various transactions—including divesting a 30% share in subsidiary EPIF to finance acquisitions—he amassed 94% control over EPH. As of 2022, EPIF maintained a 49% stake in the Slovak gas transmission company , which plays a vital role in transporting Russian gas to Central and Eastern Europe.
Since 2014, Křetínský has held co-ownership in the Czech media company Czech News Center, known for publishing the tabloid Blesk.
2018–2020: Acquisition of French company
In October 2018, Křetínský purchased 49% of Matthieu Pigasse's shares in Le Monde. The Independency Group—a minority shareholder tasked with protecting editorial independence—was not informed about this transaction and subsequently requested Pigasse and Křetínský to enter into an "approval agreement" that would grant them authority to approve or reject controlling shareholders; however, by September 2019, no such agreement had been finalized.
On 12 March 2020, journalist Jérôme Lefilliâtre released Mister K, Petites et grandes affaires de Daniel Kretinsky (Le Seuil Editions), an investigative work exploring the business dealings of the Czech billionaire.
On 16 September 2020, Křetínský’s holding entity Vesa Equity Investment Sarl revealed ownership of a 3.05% stake in J Sainsbury plc, a major UK supermarket chain. By November of that year, Vesa Equity Investment had also become the largest shareholder in Foot Locker, marking a significant expansion of Křetínský’s investments within the retail sector.
2021–2022
On 10 November 2021, English football club West Ham United announced that Daniel Křetínský and Pavel Horský had acquired a combined 27% ownership in the club’s shares and both joined its board of directors.
On 25 August 2022, the UK government informed Royal Mail that Vesa Equity Investment Sarl—then Royal Mail’s largest shareholder under Křetínský’s control—intended to increase its stake beyond 25%, triggering an assessment under the National Security and Investment Act 2021. Subsequently, on 31 October 2022, the Secretary of State for Business approved this rise in shareholding within Royal Mail’s parent company, International Distributions Services.
2024–present
In April 2024, Křetínský proposed a takeover bid of £3.20 per share for International Distribution Services (IDS), the parent company of Royal Mail, which was initially declined by IDS. Nevertheless, on 29 May, IDS accepted an updated offer priced at 360 pence per share. Křetínský pledged to uphold the Universal Service Obligation for a duration of five years. The acquisition, valued at £3.6 billion, received approval in December 2024, with the UK government maintaining a golden share to supervise significant alterations regarding Royal Mail’s ownership structure, headquarters location, and tax domicile.
A consortium under Křetínský’s leadership gained control of 53.7% of the French retail group Groupe Casino following authorization from a Paris court in February 2024. Subsequently, in June, ThyssenKrupp revealed intentions to reorganize Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe during the summer; Křetínský plans to acquire a 20% interest while ensuring no job cuts occur.
By February 2025, EP Global Commerce GmbH ("EPGC"), the holding entity controlled by Křetínský with approximately 49.99% voting power in Metro AG, consented to remove Metro AG shares from trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange’s Prime Standard segment.
Personal life
Křetínský is in a relationship with Anna Kellnerová, who is the daughter of his business partner Petr Kellner, previously recognized as the wealthiest individual in the nation.
In 2015, he acquired the London-based Heath Hall estate for £65 million. The property boasts 15 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, a private cinema, and a tennis court.