ProSiebenSat.1 has a new major shareholder. The PPF group of Czech billionaire Renata Kellnerova has acquired a stake of 9.01 percent, as the MDax company announced on Tuesday evening. Kellnerova also has options to purchase a further 0.09 percent.
Renata Kellnerova is the heir to the PPF Group, a conglomerate specializing in media and telecommunications. “We are pleased that Ms. Kellnerova sees ProSiebenSat.1 as an attractive investment and places her trust in our company,” commented a ProSiebenSat.1 spokeswoman on the move.
The PPF Group already operates several television and online media companies in Central and Southeastern Europe, such as Central European Media with a large number of television channels. And it sees itself as an active investor. One looks forward to working together “in the digital transformation of ProSieben,” said the PPF Group.
With her investment, Kellnerova could form a counterweight to the Italian MFE MediaForEurope, which has risen to become the largest shareholder of ProSiebenSat.1 with around a quarter of the shares. The holding company founded by Silvio Berlusconi’s family wants to forge a European television company. Bert Habets, who has been head of ProSiebenSat.1 since November, wants to present strategic ideas for his group on March 2nd.
Kellnerova inherited the PPF group together with her four children after the death of her husband Petr Kellner and has been considered the richest person in the Czech Republic ever since. Kellner died in a helicopter crash in Alaska in March 2021.
