Dragan Šolak is a Serbian businessman and media mogul. He is the founder and majority owner of the United Group media house. Šolak founded United Group back in 2000. His net worth was estimated at €1.22 billion, and as of 2021 was understood to be the richest man in Serbia.[1]
Šolak was born in 1964 in Kragujevac. He later moved to Belgrade for university but left to focus on business opportunities. In 1990, Šolak started a production business, one of the first in Yugoslavia. Following the 1992 Bosnian war, Šolak spent a decade abroad working in intellectual property and copyright. In 2000, he started a local cable television network in his home town that later grew with international funding. In 2014, that network became United Group.[2][3]
Initially starting as just a small cable operator in central Serbia, the company has since become one of the most dominant media companies in Southeast Europe, providing broadband, mobile and TV services in eight countries.[1] Solak served as chief executive for United Group for eight years. He became chairman in 2008, and he remains an advisor to the board as of 2022. He retains a 33% share in United Group.[4][5][6]
Šolak is the lead investor and chairman of investment firm Sport Republic.[7][8][9] In January 2022, Sport Republic became the owners of English club Southampton which bought 80% of the shares in the club from Chinese businessman Gao Jisheng for about £100m.[10][11] Following Southampton's relegation from the Premier League after Sport Republic's first full season in charge, Šolak admitted that the club's owners were too distant to have a full understanding of what was happening and pledged that they would be more involved in future.[12] In September 2022, Šolak invested £48 million into the firm and in 2023, he contributed an additional £15 million. The money was intended for general operations and also to highlight Šolak's commitment to the club.[13]
The investment firm also acquired a 70% controlling stake in Turkish club Göztepe in August 2022 and became majority shareholders of French club Valenciennes in July 2023.[14][15]
