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Oct 5 (Reuters) – Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky has been on a buying spree in France, with three new investments so far this year. Most recently, supermarket group Casino finalised a deal to avert bankruptcy, which will leave a consortium led by Kretinsky with more than half of its shares.
He has at least five investments in France, three in Britain and one in Germany.
Kretinsky, 47, a former investment bank lawyer who built one of Europe’s largest energy groups, Energeticky a Prumyslovy Holding (EPH), has been diversifying into retail, media and other areas.
His net worth stands at $9.7 billion, according to Forbes.
Kretinsky’s investment vehicle VESA Equity Investment has a portfolio valued at more than 3 billion euros ($3.15 billion), according to its website.
Here is a summary of some investments by firms controlled by Kretinsky and his long-term business partner, Patrik Tkac:
EPH
The group, in which Kretinsky holds 50%+1 share, comprises more than 70 energy-related companies and reported combined revenue of 37 billion euros in 2022. EPH controls a total installed capacity of 14 gigawatts, according to the company’s website.
It has controlling or large stakes in lignite, gas, renewable and nuclear power plants in the Czech Republic, Britain, Slovakia, Italy and elsewhere.
The group also includes Slovak gas transit pipeline operator Eustream, gas storage firms, cargo and commodity trading businesses.
RETAIL
* Casino (CASP.PA)
The French retailer said on Oct. 5 it had sealed a deal to avert bankruptcy through a debt restructuring agreed with its main creditors, led by Kretinsky. This finalised a July agreement in principle that called for 1.2 billion euros of new money to be injected into Casino and a reduction of its debt by 6.1 billion euros. A consortium led by Kretinsky will end up with 50.4% to 53% of Casino shares, based on the July agreement.
* Fnac Darty (FNAC.PA)
Kretinsky’s VESA Equity also became the largest shareholder of French retailer Fnac Darty, crossing a 25% threshold in March, according to French markets regulator AMF.
* Foot Locker (FL.N)
Kretinsky’s VESA Equity owns 12.3% voting rights in the U.S. sportswear and footwear retailer.
* Metro (B4B.DE)
Kretinsky holds 40.6% of German retail group Metro’s voting rights, being the controlling shareholder of the group, according to Refinitiv data.
* Sainsbury’s (SBRY.L)
VESA Equity also has a 9.99% stake in the British supermarket group, Refinitiv data said.
MEDIA
* Editis
France’s Vivendi (VIV.PA), controlled by billionaire Vincent Bollore, agreed in June to sell its publishing business Editis to International Media Invest (IMI), a subsidiary of Kretinsky’s Czech Media Invest (CMI).
CMI publishes four daily newspapers, a number of magazines, and has an extensive digital and radio presence in the Czech Republic.
* Elle, Marianne
Kretinsky also owns several French titles via CMI, such as Elle and news magazine Marianne, according to the CMI website.
* TF1
VESA Equity holds 5% in French TV company TF1, according to Refinitiv data.
OTHER
* Atos (ATOS.PA)
Kretinsky is in exclusive talks to buy Atos’s loss-making Tech Foundations branch in a 2 billion-euro deal via his EP Equity Investment vehicle, the French tech group said in August. The deal would also give Kretinsky a 7.5% stake in its remaining business, to be renamed Eviden.
* DoDo
Logistics firm DoDo, which provides fast delivery services to customers in e-commerce, retail and food delivery, said in May 2022 Kretinsky would inject 60 million euros ($63.16 million) into the group over two years to support its international expansion.
* PostNL (PTNL.AS)
Kretinsky has accumulated a 31.4% stake in the Dutch mail and package delivery group through VESA Equity, a regulatory filing showed in November 2022.
* International Distributions Services (IDSI.L)
VESA Equity is the biggest shareholder in International Distributions Services, the parent of Britain’s Royal Mail, holding a 26.15% stake, according to Refinitiv data.
* Thyssenkrupp (TKAG.DE)
German newspaper Handelsblatt reported in September Thyssenkrupp was in talks to sell 50% of its steel division to Kretinsky.
* West Ham
Kretinsky’s 1890s Holdings group has a 27% stake in English Premier League soccer club West Ham United, according to the club’s website, adding to his ownership of the leading Czech team, Sparta Prague.
($1 = 0.9520 euros)
Compiled by Laura Lenkiewicz, Diana Mandiá, Jan Lopatka and Jason Hovet; Editing by Tomasz Janowski, Jan Harvey, Sharon Singleton and Milla Nissi
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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