FB Roundup: Nick Candy, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Khalifa, Dr. Kiran Patel
Nick Candy enlists football icon Gianluca Vialli in Chelsea takeover bid
British luxury property developer Nick Candy has further bolstered his bid to buy embattled Premier League football club Chelsea by hiring the team’s former player-manager Gianluca Vialli as an advisor.
Candy, who, along with his brother Christian, has overseen such notable projects as London’s One Hyde Park and NoHo Square and Beverly Hills’s 9900 Wilshire, brought Vialli’s Tifosy Capital & Advisory on board ahead of the deadline for bids.
The former striker played for Chelsea between 1996 and 2000, during which time the club won the FA Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup.
The appointment comes as Candy’s consortium – thought to include former Liverpool and British Airways chairman Sir Martin Broughton – confirmed an estimated £2.5billion fund is in place to make the bid.
“[Tifosy’s] work on the data and business analysis so far has been outstanding," said a spokesperson for the Candy bid. “[The firm has] worked on some of the top football transactions in Europe, including Manchester United, Juventus, AS Roma and Inter Milan."
“I am proud and feel very privileged to support Mr Candy's bid to buy Chelsea Football Club,” said Vialli in a statement released to Sportsmail. “I have met Nick Candy on a number of occasions over the last few weeks and I am fully behind his visions and commitment to make Chelsea the most globally recognised and supported club in the world, as well as maintaining the ongoing success on the pitch.
“We share the same view that if the bid is successful, we will try to be the best possible custodians of the club, knowing that it is imperative that supporter concerns are front and centre of any owner's priorities.”
“My dad was asked to play for Chelsea. I love Chelsea,” said Candy in an interview with The Mirror. “I don't mind where it ends up, even if it's not with me, as long as it's in safe hands.
“One hundred per cent [the fans need to be included in ownership] and they should be involved. Both on the board and economically."
Private office of Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Khalifa invests in UK fintech startup
The private office of Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Khalifa has struck a strategic partnership with socially conscious fintech startup KogoPAY.
The UK-based firm which offers virtual IBAN accounts in GBP and EUR, as well as mobile wallets in several currencies, was brought to the attention of the Kingdom of Bahrain royal family member following KogoPAY’s London & Partner Trade Mission Trip to the United Arab Emirates in February this year.
Since the visit, KogoPAY has experienced strong growth in the region. The newly signed partnership further aims to create opportunities with a focus on social impact, technology, and financial inclusion.
“We are deeply honoured to be partnering with the private office of H.E. Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Duaij bin Khalifa al Khalifa,” said chief executive officer and founder of KogoPAY, Dr. Narisa Chauvidul-Aw. “As a startup fintech firm with licenses in the UK and Europe, joining hands with the [family] office will help us achieve our next aim of developing in the [Gulf Cooperation Council] area, specifically the UAE and Bahrain, where the FinTech scene is thriving.
“We are presented with a great opportunity to explore new regional business prospects while bringing new perspectives and fresh ideas to the Middle Eastern market using our experience.”
Dr. Kiran Patel buys stake in electric vehicle company
Indian-American investor, philanthropist and cardiologist Dr. Kiran Patel has further broadened his portfolio beyond the medical insurance field with undisclosed pre-Series A funding in Physics Motors, a sustainable electric transportation tech company based in Karnataka, India.
Patel has obtained a 30% stake in the firm which produces robust hub motors specifically designed to cope with Indian road conditions. Founded by design engineer Deepak Jadhav in 2019, Physics Motors is on a mission to manufacture the most advanced electric vehicle drive train technology for the Indian and world market.
The investment follows Patel’s venture last year into the New Delhi-based Magenta EV, a charging infrastructure and technology company, and Hyderabad-based Axiom Group, an EV power-train component manufacturer.
“This is just the beginning of my investments into Physics Motors and we have carved out a larger investment chest from our international family office to make it a leading platform for EV drivetrain in our portfolio,” said Patel.
