Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha (Thai: วิชัย ศรีวัฒนประภา; born Vichai Raksriaksorn, Thai: วิชัย รักศรีอักษร; 4 April 1958 – 27 October 2018) was a Thai billionaire businessman and the founder, owner, and chairman of King Power. He was the owner of Premier League team Leicester City from 2010 until his death in a helicopter crash just outside the club's King Power Stadium in 2018.

Career

Vichai was the founder and CEO of King Power, an operator of duty-free shops. In December 2009, King Power received the royal warrant from King Bhumibol of Thailand in a ceremony attended by Vichai. In October 2018, he was ranked by Forbes magazine as the 5th richest man in Thailand, reportedly worth US$4.9 billion.

The first football match Vichai watched in England was the 1997 League Cup final between Leicester City and Middlesbrough, which may have attracted him to the club. In August 2010, the Asia Football Investments consortium including Vichai and his son Aiyawatt purchased English Football League Championship club Leicester City. He succeeded Milan Mandarić as chairman of the club in February 2011 while continuing as owner, and Aiyawatt became the vice chairman. In July 2011, Leicester's Walkers Stadium was renamed King Power Stadium.

Leicester City went on to win the 2015–16 Premier League title after starting the season as 5000/1 rank outsiders. Shortly before the 2016–17 season, Vichai gave 19 players a BMW i8—at £100,000 each—as a gift for winning the title.

In May 2017, he bought his second football club, OH Leuven in Belgium.