Strnad offers EUR30bn for Ray Ban owner Delfin - Bloomberg

Milan, Italy, Oct 30 (CTK) - Czech billionaire Michal Strnad has offered approximately EUR30bn (CZK730bn) for the Italian family-owned holding company Delfin, which owns eyewear manufacturer EssilorLuxottica and other companies, agency Bloomberg has reported, citing a letter it has seen.

Strnad is the owner and board chairman of the CSG defence group. CTK has reached out to him for comment.

The Italian company declined to comment on the report.

According to the letter, Strnad's offer values Delfin Sarl at a 30 percent discount to the net value of its assets.

Delfin shareholder Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio confirmed in a statement that he was aware of the offer and said he would continue to ensure that Delfin remains under Italian ownership.

Delfin holds a controlling stake and owns nearly one-third of the shares in EssilorLuxottica, which manufactures eyewear, including the Ray-Ban brand. It also holds stakes in financial companies such as the Italian insurance company Assicurazioni Generali and the banks UniCredit and Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena.

The Italian daily Domani reported on the proposal, which was submitted in a letter dated October 20 addressed to Delfin CEO Romolo Bardini. The offer is valid for 30 days, and for the transaction to proceed, all eight Delfin shareholders would have to approve changes to the ownership restrictions.

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