Sunderland chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has revealed key information regarding the ownership of the Black Cats. In response to questions put to him by The Athletic, a statement was released to confirm who actually has shares in the club. The results may surprise fans of the Black Cats.
The League One club have been desperate to return to the Championship since relegation in 2018; however, after several managers and many concerns about how the club has been run, the Black Cats are still in England’s third tier. Fans have asked for honesty and they now have it; however, it may not be the answers they wanted.
Sunderland Chairman Not the Majority Shareholder
Who Has Shares at Sunderland?
The statement released today has clarified the true Sunderland ownership structure with the percentages coming as a surprise to many. When Kyril Louis-Dreyfus arrived at the club as chairman, it was believed that the previous regime would have little to do with the club. However, it has now come to light that the previous group in charge, former chairman Stewart Donald, Charlie Methven, and Juan Sartori have more shares in Sunderland combined than Louis-Dreyfus.
Current Sunderland chairman Louis-Dreyfus has confirmed the following percentages. Forty-one per cent of the shares belong to Louis-Dreyfus, 34% are Stewart Donald’s, 20% Sartori’s, and the remaining 5% belong to Methven.
Statement
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, who became the youngest chairman in the EFL when he arrived 12 months ago when 23 years old said: “As previously stated, I have executive control of the running of the football club – something that was a fundamental requirement upon the purchase of my shares – and the executive management team inclusive of Steve Davison and Kristjaan Speakman report directly into me on a day-to-day basis.
“All major strategic decisions relating to the running of the club continue to be taken by the Board of Directors, compromising of myself, Maurice Louis-Dreyfus, David Jones, Steve Davison, Igor Levin, Patrick Treuer, Juan Sartori, and Simon Vumbaca.
“Over the past 12 months, SAFC has required significant shareholder funding as part of our ongoing investment within the club and as a result of the lasting financial challenges from the pandemic.
“Substantial investment will continue to be required moving forward to ensure we fulfil our collective objectives and all shareholders remain wholly committed to honouring their respective financial obligations.”
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