Valeri Belokon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Valeri Belokon | |
 Valeri Belokon at Bloomfield Road
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| Born | Valeri Belokon 14 February 1960 Riga, Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Union |
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| Nationality | Latvian |
| Occupation | Businessperson |
| Home town | Riga |
| Net worth | £200M |
| Known for | President of Blackpool F.C., Chairperson of Baltic International Bank |
Valeri Belokon (Latvian: Valērijs Belokoņs) (born 14 February 1960 in Riga, Latvia) is a Latvian businessman, chairperson of the board, and shareholder in the Baltic International Bank and president of English football club, Blackpool.[1]
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[edit] Business career
Belokon studied at the University of Massachusetts in the United States and the University of Latvia, Faculty of Philology.[1] He is the chairperson of the board of the Baltic International Bank, and his corporation Belokon Holdings has interests in finance, media, the Food industry, social projects and geology in Latvia and Kyrgyzstan as well as football in England. These include[2]
- Finance
- Baltic International Bank - founded in 1993, based in Riga
- Manas Bank - founded in 2008 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
- B&R Global One - founded by Belokon and former Prime Minister of Latvia, Einars Repše, a financial investment business.
- Food industry
- Brīvais Vilnis - a fish processing company founded in 1949.
- Media
- Telegraf - a daily Russian language newspaper.
- Novo News - a daily Internet newspaper.
- Valery Belokon's Publishing House Ltd - Founded on 31 March 1995 publishes Who is Who in Latvia and the The Encyclopedia of Latvia.
- Social Projects
- Baltic Institute of Strategic Studies - a non-profit scientific research organization founded in 2004.
- Riga Golf School - Founded in 2004, the first golf school in Latvia, specialising in teaching six to sixteen year olds.
- Geology
- Baltic Gold - An operating partner in Molotash, making geological researches and leading extraction of gold in Dzhalal-Abadskaya Province, Kyrgyzstan
In June 2008 Belokon sold his 30% stake in the Latvian television station TV5 to the News Corporation owned by Rupert Murdoch.[3]
The Sunday Times Rich List, which annually lists the 2,000 wealthiest people or families in the United Kingdom has Belokon's wealth at £200M making him the 397th richest in the country.[4]
[edit] Blackpool FC
Through Belokon Holdings and VB Football Assets,[5], Belokon bought a 20% stake in Blackpool Football Club in 2006, and is the club's president.[6] In June 2007 he stated that he was prepared to increase his stake in Blackpool from 20% to 50% following the clubs promotion to The Championship.[7]
On 8 July 2008, Belekon announced that he and Owen Oyston would be personally financing the construction of the new South Stand and South-west corner at Bloomfield Road, with work to start immediately.[8] On 8 September 2008 it was confirmed that, Normunds Malnacs, who was Belokon's representative at Blackpool FC and his right hand man, had stood down as a director of the club and his role with Belokon, who stated that he had already started advertising for a recruit in Latvia to replace Malnacs.[9]
[edit] Personal life
Belokon is married with three children.[1]
Belokon has a son living in the United States of America, born January 31, 1994.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c "Exclusive interview with Valeri Belokon". 24 Kg News Agency. 13 October 2006. http://eng.24.kg/community/2006/10/13/353.html. Retrieved on 2008-06-04.
- ^ "Our Businesses". Belokon Holdings. http://www.belokonholding.com/eng/business/. Retrieved on 2008-09-08.
- ^ Kolyako, Nina (2 June 2008). "Murdoch takes over Latvian TV5". The Baltic Course magazine. http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/markets_and_companies/?doc=2116. Retrieved on 2008-09-08.
- ^ "Valery Belokon". Sunday Times. 27 April 2008. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/specials/rich_list/article3769311.ece. Retrieved on 2008-09-08.
- ^ "VB Football Assets". Belokon Holdings. http://www.belokonholding.com/eng/football/. Retrieved on 2007-03-06.
- ^ Canavan, Steve (19 May 2006). "The president of blackpool". Blackpool Gazette. http://www.blackpooltoday.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=64&ArticleID=1514297. Retrieved on 2007-03-06.
- ^ Stocks, Rob (12 June 2007). "Belokon to increase stake?". Blackpool Gazette. http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sports-news?articleid=2945228. Retrieved on 2007-06-13.
- ^ "Official Club Statement". Blackpool F.C.. 8 July 2008. http://www.blackpoolfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10432~1340591,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-08.
- ^ "Director Steps Down". Blackpool F.C.. 8 September 2008. http://www.blackpoolfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10432~1387330,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-08.
[edit] External links
- "Tangerine dream" - a Q&A with Belokon from BBC Sport
- Belokon Holdings website
