Daniel Kretinsky, the Czech billionaire who already owns a chunk of West Ham United, is about to become the club’s single largest shareholder. His investment vehicle, 1890 Holdings, is acquiring shares from Vanessa Gold that will push his ownership from 27% to roughly 43%, leapfrogging co-owner David Sullivan’s 38.8% stake.
The timing here is not subtle. Sullivan recently resigned from his position amid allegations of improper personal conduct, and both Kretinsky and Gold have publicly stated they are “deeply concerned” by the revelations.
How the deal is structured
Vanessa Gold inherited her stake in West Ham from her late father, David Gold, who passed away in January 2023.
Kretinsky first entered the picture in November 2021, paying approximately £150 million for his initial 27% stake. That deal included options for further acquisitions at predetermined prices from both Sullivan and Gold, essentially building a conveyor belt toward majority ownership.
