Intersport Polska may be taken over by Ukrainian citizen Galyna Fedorivna Gerega. The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) did not raise any objections to the concentration.
The concentration involves the indirect takeover of control over Intersport Polska SA by Galyna Fedorivna Gerega through the subsidiaries Epicentr K LLC and Paravita Holding Limited. The application in this matter was received by the office on August 11 this year.
The President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection issued the decision on Wednesday, October 18.
Intersport Polska in new hands
“The President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, after conducting preliminary inspection proceedings initiated as a result of the submission of a notification by Ms. Galyna Fedorivna Gerega, refuses to initiate inspection proceedings and does not raise any objection to the indirect acquisition of dominance by Ms. Galyna Fedorivna Gerega through Epicentr K LLC with its registered office in Kiev, Ukraine, and Paravita Holding Limited with its registered office in Nicosia, Cyprus, over Intersport Polska SA with its registered office in Cholerzyn,” we read in the decision.
Epicentr K Llc operates in Ukraine under the Intersport brand. In April this year it was reported that the company had signed an investment agreement with Intersport Polska and its business partner Paravita Holding Limited, regarding a joint investment in Intersport Polska.
The agreement, as indicated, provides for a total investment of EUR 10 million. This amount was to be allocated in particular to the development of Intersport Polska “by opening new stores and modernizing existing locations.”
In mid-November this year. The Extraordinary General Meeting of Intersport Polska SA is to be held
Who is Galyna Gerega?
The Ukrainian “Forbes” estimates the fortune of Alexander and Galyna Gereg at $1.2 billion. They took 6th place on the list of the richest Ukrainians in 2022. Galyna Fedorivna Gerega is the co-founder and co-owner of a Ukrainian chain of hypermarkets in the construction industry.
From April 20, 2011 to June 5, 2014, Gerega was deputy mayor and secretary of the Kyiv City Council, and from 2012 to June 5, 2014, she was the mayor of Kiev.
There is also the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection application for Galyna Fedorivna Gerega to take over control of Plastics Processing Plast-Box SA based in Słupsk.
Intersport in Poland
Intersport Polska SA is a Polish company whose shares are listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The company operates in the field of retail sales of branded sports equipment, mainly in large specialized stores, located mainly in shopping centers.
According to information on the company’s website, Intersport Polska owns 31 showrooms in our country.
Main photo source: OleksSH/Shutterstock