Aston Villa has confirmed the appointment of four new members to its board, just days after a significant deal was finalised.
It was reported over the weekend that V Sports, the company owned by Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, and American investment firm Atairos had closed the deal, with Atairos acquiring a minority stake in V Sports.
Four new directors have been added to the board of directors following the completion of the acquisition; this was confirmed on Monday by filings with Companies House. V Sports still owns 100% of Villa and retains complete operational control.
American Sarah Louise Waterson and Canadian Bashir Lebada have also been named to the Villa board. Michael Angelakis, the managing director of Atairos, Chester Hall, and chairman and managing director of Atairos, is also joining the board.
“We are excited to enter this partnership with Atairos, which will provide capital to fund infrastructure investments and drive growth and sustainable value for AVFC and the broader V Sports network over time,” Sawiris and Edens said in a statement released to coincide with the confirmation of the Atairos deal.
“Atairos is a seasoned investor who has collaborated with several top businesses in the media, sports, live entertainment, and leisure sectors, particularly in the UK and Europe.
“We are happy to welcome the Atairos team to the V Sports family and are confident that Atairos is the right long-term strategic partner to support our next phase of growth.”
Atairos, which has a history of funding expansion-oriented companies, has made its first investment in football with Villa, which has offices in New York and Philadelphia and roughly $6.5 billion in equity resources.
“We have deep respect for Aston Villa, its rich history and devoted fan base, world-class management team and employees, and the V Sports ownership group,” stated Angelakis in a statement.
“We are optimistic that this collaboration will bring more sustained assistance to the expansion of the Premier League and the men’s and women’s teams at Aston Villa.” We are eager to collaborate with Nassef, Wes, and the Aston Villa team in order to improve the Club’s capacity for competition and even greater success.
