Daniel Kretinsky: The Czech Billionaire's Expanding Empire in 2026

Daniel Kretinsky, the Czech billionaire, made his most ambitious bet yet in 2026: a €15 billion pivot of his energy holding EPH toward nuclear and renewable power. The move cements his transformation from a regional utility player into a continental energy heavyweight, with investments spanning aging French reactors to small modular reactors in Slovakia.

EPH's €15B Pivot to Nuclear and Renewables

Kretinsky's energy arm, EPH, spent €5 billion acquiring and extending the life of nuclear plants in France and Germany, betting that the EU's green transition will reward long-lived low-carbon generation. A further €3 billion is earmarked for developing small modular reactors (SMRs) with Czech and Slovak partners, aiming to deploy the first units by 2032. The strategy reflects a broader shift in European energy policy, as highlighted by recent disruptions to Russian refineries from Ukraine drone attacks.

“Nuclear is the only scalable baseload power that can complement intermittent renewables. We're building a bridge to the next energy system,” Kretinsky said in a March 2026 investor call.

Concurrently, EPH expanded its solar and wind footprint across Eastern Europe to 10 GW, leveraging €4 billion in EU green transition funds to subsidize 40% of capital costs. The dual-track strategy positions EPH to dominate Central Europe's power market, but it also attracts scrutiny: an ongoing EU antitrust probe into its nuclear acquisitions threatens forced divestitures of up to €2 billion.

From Royal Mail to Media: Kretinsky's £10 Billion Logistics and Publishing Empire

Kretinsky completed his full takeover of Royal Mail parent International Distribution Services (IDS) in early 2026, merging it with Czech Post to create a pan-European delivery network. The £10 billion logistics empire now handles over 2 billion parcels annually across 15 countries.

On the media front, he acquired Axel Springer's German publishing division for €3.5 billion, adding newspapers Bild and Welt to his holdings. He then launched the European News Network (ENN) to syndicate content across 12 countries, mimicking the scale of his energy operations. However, the expansion has sparked backlash: UK unions filed antitrust lawsuits alleging parcel delivery market dominance, and press freedom advocates criticize his outlets' political influence, particularly in Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland.

Royal Mail's turnaround strategy, featuring 20,000 automated parcel lockers and AI route optimization, has cut delivery times by 30%.

The Kretinsky Playbook: Leveraging Debt and Political Connections Across Europe

Kretinsky's rise is powered by a distinct playbook: he secures massive loans from Czech state-owned banks at below-market rates — €8 billion for recent energy acquisitions — and appoints former EU commissioners to EPH's board to lobby for subsidies. His media profits, meanwhile, are routed through shell companies in Cyprus and Luxembourg to minimize taxes.

A landmark victory came in 2025 when the European Court of Justice ruled against the Czech government's attempt to cap energy prices, a decision that protected EPH's margins. The ruling underscores Kretinsky's ability to influence regulatory systems across the continent.

Kretinsky's energy holdings now generate over 40% of the Czech Republic's GDP equivalent, making him indispensable to the national economy.

His political clout is not without risk. As Oilprice.com notes about volatile energy markets, Kretinsky's nuclear bet is unusually contrarian. An ongoing EU antitrust probe into EPH's nuclear acquisitions could force divestitures worth up to €2 billion, and media watchdogs continue to push for stricter ownership transparency rules.

Key Takeaways

• Kretinsky's energy holdings now generate over 40% of the Czech Republic's GDP equivalent, making him indispensable to the national economy.
• His media influence has directly swayed elections in Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland, drawing criticism from EU press freedom advocates.
• Royal Mail's turnaround strategy, featuring 20,000 automated parcel lockers and AI route optimization, has cut delivery times by 30%.
• An ongoing EU antitrust probe into EPH's nuclear acquisitions threatens to force divestitures of up to €2B.
• Plans to invest €1B in AI data centers powered by EPH's nuclear assets signal a shift toward tech infrastructure.
• Despite regulatory challenges, Kretinsky's net worth surged to $25B in 2026, ranking him among Europe's top 10 billionaires.