Brian Kennedy (businessman)

Brian Kennedy
Nationality British
Occupation Owner and chairman of latium enterprises
Net worth Increase£350 million (2016)
Website www.latiumenterprises.com

Brian Kennedy is a British businessman that has founded and sold several companies in the home improvement and energy sectors, in both the US and UK. He was also previously the majority owner of the Sale Sharks Rugby Union Club.

Early life

Kennedy grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland and attended Tynecastle High School. He studied civil engineering at Heriot-Watt University before dropping out to work in various sales positions, including one at Brown Brothers. He then moved to London in 1981 after winning a position there through a sales competition.[1][2][3]

Business

In 1988 Kennedy was a shareholder in Farouche Cuisines, which was sold to British Electric Traction. Kennedy received one million pounds during the deal.[4] In 1995 Kennedy founded the company Genesis Communications. The company was mobile phone contract services provider for SMEs. The company was sold in 2004 to Dixons for 31 million pounds. During its final year before the sale, the company had 51 million in sales and a profit of 2 million.[5]

In 1999 Kennedy purchased the double-glazing manufacturer Everest. He then sold the company off in several instalments.[6] In 2012 his company Latium Holdings also merged with Epwin Holdings.[7] Epwin priced an IPO on 15 July 2014 with a market capitalisation of GBP135 million.[8] In 2006 Kennedy led a takeover of Ultraframe.[9] Brian was the majority shareholder of Entu (UK) Limited until its flotation on the London Stock Exchange (AIM) in October 2014. Brian retained a 30% stake in the company following the flotation, which was renamed Entu (UK) PLC. The company heads a group of home improvement companies including Zenith Staybrite, Job Worth Doing, Weatherseal, Penicuik and Europlas. At the time of the flotation Entu (UK) had a market capitalisation of £66 million.[10][11][12] In property sales, Kennedy is the founder of Patrick Properties, a real-estate company based in Cheshire, which has purchased commercial, residential, and industrial properties.[13][14][15]

Kennedy has invested in wind energy companies. This includes the firm Kennedy Renewables, and the Little Raith wind farm.[1][16] In all, Kennedy owns about twenty different companies.[17] He is chairman and owner of Latium Enterprises.[18] Other ventures of his include a possible competitor to the Sun newspaper in London he backed in 2012,[19] the Building Plastics Holdings group,[20] Quantal, and Four Seasons Sunrooms, which is one of the largest sunroom companies in the US.[21]

Entertainment

Kennedy was previously the majority owner and chairman of the Sale Sharks Rugby Union Club. The club was originally owned under his company Genesis, however Kennedy transferred club ownership to himself in the early 2000s to facilitate the sale of Genesis.[5][22] During his tenure as owner, they were the Premiership champions in 2006.[23][24] In the past he owned Stockport County and purchased their Edgeley Park ground. He has also made unsuccessful bids to purchase both the Edinburgh Hibernian F.C. and Rangers F.C.[25][26] In 2014 Kennedy co-financed and co-produced the Tommy Lee Jones film The Homesman.[27] In 2015 Kennedy co-financed and co-produced the film The Great Gilly Hopkins (film).[28]

Philanthropy

Kennedy has supported charitable causes.[17] He is the founder of the eponymous Brian Kennedy Trust, which makes charitable donations and takes up philanthropic causes in the UK.[29][30][31] The Trust was set up in 2008, and with groups including the Cheshire police and Space4autism. He has also worked with the family of Madeleine McCann to try to find her after her disappearance in 2007.[32][33][34][35]

References

  1. 1 2 "Brian Kennedy won't be blue over Rangers snub". The Scotsman. 30 March 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  2. ↑ Hearts could get help from Blue Knight Brian Kennedy
  3. ↑ Rich backer
  4. ↑ #52 Brian Kennedy Archived 26 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. 1 2 "Dixons buys Genesis for £31m". Manchester Evening News. 27 July 2004. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  6. ↑ "Everest sold to Better Capital in £25m deal". Manchester Evening News. 13 April 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Latium Holdings and Epwin Group merger is referred to OFT". Manchester Evening News. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  8. ↑ Epwin Prices IPO As SPP Group And Ergomed Admitted To Trading
  9. ↑ Stephen Seawright (3 June 2006). "Kennedy snaps up troubled Ultraframe". The Telegraph. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  10. ↑ Home Improvements Company Entu To List On AIM After Placing
  11. ↑ Entu (UK) PLC £66 million float today, thanks to Zeus Capital raising £33 million Archived 11 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ Entu shares rise 4.5p in early trading after AIM debut
  13. ↑ Patrick storms in
  14. ↑ Sharks owner splashes £2.4m on city centre property
  15. ↑ Kennedy's Patrick Properties attracts Seafield
  16. ↑ Sporting Chance: Youth to Cash in on Energetic Profits
  17. 1 2 Revealed: Mystery benefactor funding Madeleine's parents is a millionaire double-glazing magnate
  18. ↑ Latium Enterprises team overview
  19. ↑ Former editor and ex-ITV exec plotting Sunday tabloid launch
  20. ↑ Spectus returns to profit
  21. ↑ UK firm develops US Sunroom App
  22. ↑ Saint-Andre extends Sale contract
  23. ↑ Madeleine McCann: Brian Kennedy Is Talking Balls With Mark Souster
  24. ↑ Diamond the man to renew my enthusiasm – Kennedy
  25. ↑ Rangers takeover: Brian Kennedy out of the running to rescue Rangers
  26. ↑ Kennedy wants a blessing from fans for Hibs takeover. Easter Road supporters would be given final say over proposed investment plans
  27. ↑ Ramin Setoodeh (13 May 2014). "CANNES: How Tommy Lee Jones Financed 'The Homesman'". Variety Magazine.
  28. ↑ Andreas Wiseman (14 May 2016). "Lionsgate adopts 'The Great Gilly Hopkins' for US". Screen Daily.
  29. ↑ Millionaire's £60,000 for north Wales homeless charity
  30. ↑ Millionaire’s boost for Save the Family in Flintshire
  31. ↑ The language of learning
  32. ↑ £500 boost for the "Specials"
  33. ↑ Autism charity is holding birthday open day
  34. ↑ Madeleine McCann's disappearance – timeline
  35. ↑ Madeleine McCann: 'I listened for 15 seconds and knew they were innocent’
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/18/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.