Shilen Patel is the majority shareholder and owner of West Brom.
He took over from former owner, Guochuan Lai who had acquired West Brom from Jeremy Peace for over £200m in 2016, but recently agreed to a deal to repay a loan he secured on shares in West Brom’s parent company to speed up the new takeover process.
This meant that Shilen Patel now comes in, taking on almost £40m in debt. The deal sees Patel acquire an 87.8% shareholding in West Bromwich Albion Group Limited.
The takeover took almost a fortnight to be finalised but, after approval by the English Football League, Patel officially took charge.
When did Shilen Patel become the owner of West Brom?
Shilen Patel officially became the owner of West Brom on the 16th of February 2024.
Although the value of the deal has not been disclosed, The Athletic has reported the price at around £20m, which will be paid in three instalments over 18 months.
What have West Brom won since Shilen Patel became the club’s owner?
The Baggies have not won any trophies of note under the ownership of Shilen Patel.
West Brom fans will be massively hopeful that the introduction of Patel will be a start to a seriously bright future at the Hawthorns.
What other business and sports franchises does Shilen Patel own?
Unlike some you often see associated with football clubs, Patel has not been linked with a full buy-out of a club before – meaning the Baggies will be his first venture in this domain. He’ll be looking to write his own history.
However, he does have some shares in Serie A side Bologna, showing he is a football fan.
How much is Shilen Patel worth?
It is believed that Shilen Patel himself has a net worth of around $100 million (£79.5 million).
His father is worth a lot more. Kiran Patel started his career as a cardiologist, starting his own practice in 1985 in Florida. This business quickly expanded massively, as he opened 14 branches in the first several years.
He built his fortune in this industry, accumulating a value worth up to $400 million (£318 million).