A businessman and entrepreneur named DAI Yongge has a passion for football.
Everything you need to know about him, from his football career to his family and wealth, is here.
Who is Dai Yongge?
As previously stated, Dai Yongge, born April 28, 1968, is a Chinese businessman and entrepreneur who is the current owner of Reading F.C. in England.
Dai Yongge and his sister Dai Xiuli became the club’s primary shareholders in May 2017, purchasing a 75% stake in the Royals after the club received EFL approval.
The pair become the club’s fourth ownership group in five years.
Dai Yongge stated at the time of the takeover, “One of my first priorities will be to visit the development site for the new training ground.”
“We also intend to revisit stadium extension plans with the vision of creating world-class facilities at the club.”
The twins’ passion in football is said to have started after they saw Manchester City play in the early 2000s.
While they took over Reading as a pair, Dai Yongge is currently the club’s single owner.
Dai Yongge was also the Executive Chairman of Renhe Commercial Holdings Company Limited, a family firm that specialized in converting underground air raid shelters into shopping malls.
A year later, the company has 30 offices in China, including Harbin, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Shenyang.
According to the American business journal, Xiuli gave Dai her majority ownership in Renhe as a ”present” in mid-2014.
Later, the company changed its name to China Dili Group, with a concentration on agricultural markets.
Aside from this information, not much is known about Dai Yongge, who supposedly prefers to stay out of the public glare.
Who is Dai Yongge’s sister Dai Xiuli?
As previously stated, Dai Xiuli is Dai Yongge’s sister, and she, like her brother, is active in business.
Forbes recognized Dai Yongge’s sister as one of the world’s richest women in 2014, with an estimated worth of $1.2 billion (£715 million).
Away from business, she was previously married to Tony Hawken, a British maths teacher, whom she married after coming to England in 1991.
The couple divorced in 2014, according to reports.
Dai Xiuli graduated from Heilongjiang University in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in Chinese Literature.
Her exact net worth is unclear as of September 2023, however according to Forbes, the self-made businesswoman built her money in real estate.
Aside from this information, not much is known about Dai Xiuli, who, like her brother, is rarely heard from in the UK.
What is Dai Yongge’s net worth?
Dai Yongge’s exact net worth is unknown as of September 2023.
According to Forbes, the businessman’s fortune was worth $931 million (£656 million) in 2016.
How many football teams does Dai Yongge own?
As previously stated, Dai Yongge is the current owner of Reading F.C.
Dai and his sister previously purchased Chinese club Shaanxi Baorong Chanba, moved it to Guizhou in 2012 and subsequently to Beijing in 2016, becoming Beijing Renhe.
However, Beijing Renhe had been dissolved as a company by 2021.
In August 2016, the couple tried a £130 million buyout of English Premier League team Hull City, which failed.
Dai Xiuli also purchased KSV Roeselare in 2016, but like Beijing Renhe in China, KSV Roeselare dissolved after relegation and financial troubles.
