China Energy Company Limited (CEFC) has acquired a 60-percent stake in the Czech football club Slavia from the former Czech Transport Minister Aleš Řebíček. Jiří Šimáně, the owner of the airline operator Travel Service, will purchase the remaining 40 percent through his company Fly Sport Investments. The new owners claim they are ready to invest into the preservation and further development of the popular football club. CEFC has cooperated with Šimáně on a number of projects and plans to gradually take over a 50-percent stake in Travel Service, which has a 34-percent stake in Czech Airlines.
CEFE also announced it is planning to buy a 75-percent stake in Lobkowicz Group and will become a minority shareholder in Médea Group and Empresa Media, which owns the private TV channel TV Barrandov and the magazine Týden. The news follows CEFC acquisitions of two historical properties in Prague: the former Živnobanka building on Na Příkopě and Martinický Palace near Prague Castle. The Chinese energy company also recently increased its stake in the Czech-Slovak financial group J&T to 10 percent. The largest private company in Shanghai, CEFC has chosen Prague as its base for European expansion.
