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GreekReporter.comBusinessCzech Jiri Smejc Wants to Buy OPAP

Czech Jiri Smejc Wants to Buy OPAP

tsexos_716752209The 42-year-old Czech Jiri Smejc, twice married, with two children and a fortune of over $2 billion may be the new owner of the Greek Organization of Football Prognostics OPAP S.A. within the next week.
Smejc is a specialist in investments, and controls the company Emma Delta Ltd. along with the Greek ship-owner George Melissanidis. Emma Delta is the sole bidder for the controlling stake in OPAP and claims 33 percent of the betting company as well as the management rights of the company.
He is among the few foreign businessmen who operate in Greece and is interested in investments in real economy. OPAP is not the only investment that has drawn his attention.
Smejc has invested in Piraeus Bank and will reportedly participate in the capital increase of the bank. He participates together with GEK TERNA Group in the competition of purchasing the Hellenic Gas Transmission SystemHellen Operator S.A. DESFA. Information wants him to negotiate with Greek companies for investments in the domain of garbage management, as well as renewable energy sources.
The Czech investor operates through his personal company Emma Capital, which he founded in the summer of 2012, after he left the Primary Privatization Fund (PPF), founded in 1991 by his close friend Petr Kellner.
As reported on Piraeus Bank’s website, Smejc started his own business in 1992 and became Managing Director and CEO of PUPP Consulting s.r.o. in 1993. In 1995 he worked as Sales Director for Middle Europe Finance s.r.o., a securities trader focusing on acquisitions. Until the end of 2004 he was a 34% owner of TV NOVA Group in the Czech Republic.
In 2004 he joined PPF Group N.V. and became a 5% shareholder in 2005. Among others, he is responsible for managing the Group’s activities in Russia as well as its banking investments and Home Credit Group. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Generali PPF Holding B.V. since January 2008.
Smejc is a graduate of the Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics with a specialization in mathematical economics, according to the Piraeus Bank’s website.

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