The second richest Czech Daniel Křetínský saved CZK 2bn by waiting for the first global pandemic in living memory to buy shares in Foot Locker, whose stock price has fallen dramatically over the course of the coronavirus crisis. That’s the conclusion of the Czech edition of Forbes magazine, which reports that Křetínský and his Slovak partner Patrik Tkáč have continued their investment offensive into international brands through their company Vesa Equity Investment. Vesa now controls 6 million shares in Foot Locker for which it paid $169m, making it the retailer’s fourth largest shareholder, which recently warned it would be closing down some of its stores. Earlier in the crisis, Vesa bought a 6 percent share in the British Royal Mail before crossing the Atlantic to acquire a 5 percent stake in the retail chain Macy’s. Last year, Křetínský and his Slovak partner began buying up shares in the German retail giant Metro AG and Casino, having previously taken positions in the media outlets Le Monde and Elle.
