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The Curious Case of Why a Billionaire Wants to Buy Royal Mail
BBC ^ | 4/14 | Simon Jack

Posted on 04/14/2025 2:21:23 PM PDT by nickcarraway

From the end of April, the 500-year-old Royal Mail will be controlled by a Czech billionaire who co-owns a football club and is a major investor in a British supermarket - so, why would he want this ailing institution?

"A pair of scissors, one empty teapot and some hot water, please." The slightly baffled staff at Claridge's scrambled to comply with Daniel Kretinsky's breakfast order as he sanitised and moisturised his hands.

The upscale hotel has been serving tea to the global elite for decades but Mr Kretinsky brought along his own packet of Chinese green tea, which he snipped open (hence the scissors) and poured into the empty pot.

He was tall, perfectly groomed, steely-eyed but unfalteringly polite and thoughtful. If you told anyone in the dining room he was a billionaire, they would have no problem believing it.

Known as the Czech Sphinx for his enigmatic style, Mr Kretinsky, who is 49, is worth £6bn according to the Sunday Times Rich List. He lives in plush mansions in Paris and London, was originally a lawyer and made his fortune in European energy markets.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; European Union; Government; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: billionare; danielkretinsky; eussr; fourthreich; kretinsky; royalmail; sellouts; uk

1 posted on 04/14/2025 2:21:23 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Well, the towelheads bought Britain with the Brits own tax money, so what?


2 posted on 04/14/2025 2:51:11 PM PDT by dljordan (The Rewards of Tolerance are Treachery and Betrayal)
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To: nickcarraway

So green tea has made him want to pee his money away?


3 posted on 04/14/2025 3:02:46 PM PDT by Empire_of_Liberty
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To: nickcarraway

I’ll be glad to sell him some of my mail. it’s either bills or junk mail.


4 posted on 04/14/2025 3:03:33 PM PDT by BipolarBob (Never attribute malice to that which can be explained by incompetence.)
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To: dljordan

Exactly.


5 posted on 04/14/2025 3:11:46 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: nickcarraway

with all that cash, he should upgrade from Kretinsky to Moronsky.


6 posted on 04/14/2025 3:41:22 PM PDT by rfp1234 (E Porcibus Unum)
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To: nickcarraway

I have no doubt, absent government involvement, British Mail could be made much more efficient. However, this looks to be a rich man’s toy, much like Bezos and the Washington Post.


7 posted on 04/14/2025 3:48:55 PM PDT by VanShuyten ("...that all the donkeys were dead. I know nothing as to the fate of the less valuable anima)
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To: nickcarraway

Royal Mail along with DHL/Deutsche Post….are privately operated postal services.


8 posted on 04/15/2025 12:41:33 AM PDT by kaktuskid
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