Brian Kennedy is a British businessman, who has owned and managed businesses in the UK and the United States. They include Everest Home Improvement and Genesis Communications. In 2019, The Sunday Times listed him as the 460th richest person in the United Kingdom.[1]

In sport, he has owned both Stockport County and Sale Sharks.[2][3] He also made unsuccessful bids for two Scottish football clubs, Rangers F.C. and Hibernian F.C..[4]

Life and career

Kennedy grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland and attended Tynecastle High School.[3] In 1999, Kennedy purchased a group of companies that included glazing manufacturer, Everest.[5][6] Latium Enterprises was formed around this time, which has gone on to serve as parent company to many of his business interests.[7]

In 2004, he sold his founding stake in Genesis Communications to Dixons for £31 million.[8] In 2006, Kennedy agreed to acquire Ultraframe in a £29.2m takeover deal.[9] Kennedy sold his stake in Everest in 2007.[10] In 2010, Patrick Properties which is owned and managed by Kennedy, secured £60 million to be used for expanding the property firm.[11]

In 2013, Kennedy Renewables setup Little Raith wind farm near Fife, Scotland.[12] It became the biggest wind farm in the region at the time.[12] In 2014, Kennedy partly funded and co-produced the film The Homesman.[13] A year later, Kennedy also had a similar financing and production arrangement on the film The Great Gilly Hopkins.[14]

Kennedy's Latium Enterprises reached £810 million in annual turnover in 2019, according to The Sunday Times.[7] During the same year, he featured in the Netflix documentary The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, after Kennedy helped fund the search for missing child with numerous donations.[15][16]

Sports

Kennedy previously owned Sale Sharks and won the European Challenge Cup in both 2002 and 2005 during his tenure. He sold the rugby union team in 2016 to a consortium.[17] He was also the owner of Edgeley Park and football club Stockport County.[18] He also was one of a number of bidders for Scottish side Rangers in 2012.[19]

He also attempted to purchase Hibernian F.C., based in his home city of Edinburgh.[20] However his offer was rejected.[21]

References

  1. ↑ "The Rich List 2019". The Times.
  2. ↑ "Sale owner Brian Kennedy waives Stockport County rent". BBC. February 20, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Glover, Tim (September 17, 2000). "Rugby's own angel of the north". The Independent.
  4. ↑ Halliday, Stephen (May 10, 2012). "Rangers takeover: Brian Kennedy still a frontrunner to be new owner". The Scotsman.
  5. ↑ Swinford, Steven (September 30, 2007). "Rich backer". The Sunday Times.
  6. ↑ Hall, James (October 11, 2009). "Cleaning up on windows is just the start for Everest chief". Daily Telegraph.
  7. 1 2 Meddings, Sabah (October 6, 2019). "Double-glazing king Brian Kennedy pulls down shutters". The Sunday Times.
  8. ↑ "Dixons moves on to provide full mobile service". Herald Scotland. May 8, 2002.
  9. ↑ Seawright, Stephen (June 3, 2006). "Kennedy snaps up troubled Ultraframe". Daily Telegraph.
  10. ↑ Ralph, Alex (July 1, 2020). "Pre-pack deal was best bet for Everest". The Times.
  11. ↑ Freddy, Kevin (January 13, 2013). "Kennedy property arm secures £60m boost". Manchester Evening News.
  12. 1 2 Murden, Terry (June 25, 2013). "Scots help unveil fund to benefit students in Fife". The Scotsman.
  13. ↑ Setoodeh, Ramin (May 13, 2014). "How Tommy Lee Jones Financed 'The Homesman'". Variety.
  14. ↑ Scheck, Frank (October 7, 2016). "'The Great Gilly Hopkins': Film Review". Hollywood Reporter.
  15. ↑ "McCanns get millionaire's support". BBC News. September 23, 2007.
  16. ↑ Waterson, Jim (March 13, 2019). "Madeleine McCann series to go on Netflix after delays and rows". The Guardian.
  17. ↑ "Sales sharks have be acquired by CorpAcq". Sky Sports News.
  18. ↑ "Sharks set for Stockport ground-share". ESPN. May 1, 2003.
  19. ↑ Gray, Lisa (March 29, 2012). "Brian Kennedy drops out of Rangers takeover reckoning". The Independent.
  20. ↑ Gibbons, Glenn (September 27, 1998). "All hands on deck at Hibs". The Guardian.
  21. ↑ "Business tycoon has talks over Hibernian". Herald Scotland. August 3, 1998.
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