Škoda Transportation owner dies in helicopter crash

Škoda Transportation owner dies in helicopter crash

Petr Kellner, the owner of 99% of PPF, an investment company that has stakes in many companies, including Škoda Transportation, was among the five people killed in a helicopter crash in Alaska on March 27. This is reported by the railway magazine Railway Supply with reference to the Railway Gazette.

It is reported that Petr Kellner was the richest man in the Czech Republic. He owned the Dutch-registered holding company PPF, which has assets of 44 billion euros in financial services, telecommunications, media, biotechnology, real estate and mechanical engineering. In particular, we are talking about 87.8% of the shares of Škoda Transportation and 29.04% of the shares of ČD Telematika.

Until 2010, Škoda Transportation was owned by the American asset management company Appian, but in 2010 its railway operations were transferred to the management. In November 2017, the business was bought by PPF Group, but last year, former Appian CEO Michal Korecki bought back 12.2% of the shares.

The Pilsen-based Škoda Transportation Group currently has 16 subsidiaries in the railway, tram and bus transport and electrical sectors, including Škoda Transtech in Finland, the Škoda Vagonka wagon plant and the Pars Nova repair company in the Czech Republic, etc.