FACTBOX-Czech billionaire Kretinsky's sprawling empire

(Updates International Distributions Services, Thyssenkrupp, Atos) May 30 (Reuters) - Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky pressed on with his buying spree on Wednesday as EP Group, one of his investment vehicles, finalised a deal to take private the owner of Royal Mail in Britain. Kretinsky, 47, a former investment bank lawyer who built one of Europe’s largest energy groups, Energeticky a Prumyslovy Holding (EPH), has been diversifying into retail, media and other areas. His net worth stands at $9.4 billion, according to Forbes. Kretinsky operates through various investment vehicles, including EP Group and VESA Equity Investment. The latter has a portfolio valued at more than 3 billion euros ($3.24 billion), according to its website. Here is a summary of some investments by firms controlled by Kretinsky and his long-term business partner, Patrik Tkac: EPH Kretinsky holds slightly over 50% in EPH through its parent EPCG, which owns scores of energy companies across western and central Europe. The energy business of EPCG reported a combined core profit (EBITDA) of 7.3 billion euros for 2023. POSTAL SERVICES * International Distributions Services (IDSI.L) The owner of Britain’s Royal Mail said on May 29 it had agreed to a 3.57 billion pound ($4.53 billion) takeover by Kretinsky. * PostNL (PTNL.AS) Kretinsky has accumulated a 31.4% stake in the Dutch mail and package delivery group through VESA, a regulatory filing showed in November 2022. * Quadient (QDT.PA) Kretinsky invested 1 billion Czech crowns ($43.58 million) in November to buy a stake in the French mailroom equipment company. VESA owns 10% of the voting rights, according to its website. RETAIL * Casino (CASP.PA) Kretinsky’s Casino buyout consortium said in February that the Paris Commerce court had approved its plan to bail out the debt-laden French retailer under an accelerated protection procedure. The consortium will end up with 50.4% to 53% of Casino shares, based on a July 2023 agreement. * Fnac Darty (FNAC.PA) VESA became the largest shareholder of the French retailer, data by French markets regulator AMF showed. VESA owns 29% of Fnac Darty’s voting rights, according to the investment vehicle’s website. * Foot Locker (FL.N) VESA owns 12.3% voting rights in the U.S. sportswear and footwear retailer. * Metro (B4B.DE) Kretinsky is the controlling shareholder of the group with 49.99% of the German retail group’s voting rights, German weekly “Lebensmittelzeitung” reported in March. * Sainsbury’s (SBRY.L) VESA has a 9.99% stake in the British supermarket group, LSEG data showed. MEDIA * Editis France’s Vivendi (VIV.PA) agreed in June to sell its publishing business Editis to International Media Invest, a unit of Kretinsky’s Czech Media Invest (CMI). Vivendi said in November it would receive a total of 653 million euros after finalising the sale. * Elle, Marianne Kretinsky also owns several French titles via CMI, such as Elle and news magazine Marianne, according to the CMI website. * TF1 VESA holds 5% in French TV company TF1, LSEG data shows. OTHER * Thyssenkrupp (TKAG.DE) The German industrial conglomerate said on May 23 its supervisory board approved a planned sale of 20% of its steel division to Kretinsky despite continued opposition from labour representatives. Thyssenkrupp said in April that the parties are also in talks about the acquisition of a further 30% stake, aiming for a 50-50 joint venture. * Atos (ATOS.PA) Kretinsky is trying to persuade creditors to side with him in the battle for Atos, a source close to the matter said in May. His EP Equity Investment (EPEI), in partnership with British fund Attestor, is offering to erase more than 90% of Atos’ 4.8 billion-euro financial debt and sell large parts of the company, with the proceeds partially distributed to creditors. * DoDo Logistics firm DoDo, which provides fast delivery services to customers in e-commerce, retail and food delivery, said in May 2022 that Kretinsky would inject 60 million euros into the group over two years to support its international expansion. * West Ham Kretinsky’s 1890s Holdings group has a 27% stake in the English Premier League soccer club, according to the club’s website, in addition to his ownership of the leading Czech team, Sparta Prague. ($1 = 0.9265 euros) ($1 = 0.7883 pounds) ($1 = 22.9450 Czech crowns)