West Ham shareholder Daniel Kretinsky has been crowned the richest person in the Czech Republic after increasing his net worth from £7.23bn to £13bn over the past year, largely due to massive profit dividends of £3.23bn from his energy companies.
Daniel Kretinsky owns Energeticky a Prumyslovy Holding, the largest energy group in Central Europe, as well as stakes in major companies like Macy’s, Foot Locker, Sainsbury’s, and Royal Mail. Kretinsky also has interests in the French newspaper Le Monde and German retail giant Metro AG.
He co-owns Sparta Prague, one of the most prominent soccer clubs in the Czech Republic. His girlfriend, 22-year-old Anna Kellnerova, is the eldest daughter of the late Petr Kellner, formerly the richest Czech and Kretinsky’s partner in several business ventures.
Kellner passed away in a helicopter crash during a heli-skiing trip in Alaska, bequeathing his fortune to his children. Together, Kretinsky and Kellnerova have a combined wealth exceeding £15 billion.
Not that it matters much to West Ham, of course. Profit and sustainability rules mean the Hammers will still need to sell players like Danny Ings to afford new recruits. Evidently, even with three billionaire owners, the club’s spending remains tightly controlled.
