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Michael Edelsonis a non-executive director ofManchester United.He is an angel investor,venture capitalistandphilanthropist.He has been instrumental in creating numerouscash shell companieson both AIM and PLUS. As a result of his assistance in creating these companies, he was nicknamed "The Shell Meister" by Richard Rivlin in an article inThe Sunday Telegraphin 1996, a nickname which has stuck to this day.
Michael Edelson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | John Michael Edelson 7 July 1944 Oldham
Lancashire, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | British |
| Other names | The Shellmeister |
| Alma mater | Bury Grammar School |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Director ofManchester United |
| Spouse | Jacky |
Edelson was educated atBury Grammar School.He joined his family’s business upon leaving Sixth Form.
Biography
editEducated atBury Grammar School,he was an amateur footballer playing forOldham AthleticandStoke CityReserves between 1960 and 1964, before joining the family business full-time in 1964. In the mid-1990s, he took a stake in Conrad Continental Limited, an ailing Manchester textile company that was listed on theLondon Stock Exchange.After the conversion of Conrad into a cash shell, Conrad successfully acquiredSheffield Unitedvia areverse takeover,and as a result a new route for companies to obtain a listing on a stock exchange had been created and Edelson's stock market career was launched.
In the late 1990s, he was involved in a flurry of similar deals bringing to market larger companies, such as Prestbury Group with Nigel Wray andNick Leslau,The Pharmacy Restaurant in Notting Hill withMatthew FreudandDamien Hirstand most famously Knutsford where his co-investors wereJulian Richer,SirArchie Normanand again Wray and Leslau. Knutsford reached an amazing value of £1 billion within a month of flotation and the Knutsford story is quoted in many business schools around the world.[1]
He attracted many celebrity investors as he continued to float his shells as well as numerous sportsmen and even the investment arm ofHer Majesty the Queen.His reputation for fairness and innovation has reaped rewards for many investors.
As a result of all of the transactions, he was dubbed "The Shellmeister" by City journalist Richard Rivlin in theSunday Telegraph,and the nickname stuck. He has now floated over 20 companies since Prestbury, some of which have performed spectacularly as a result of having brought in budding entrepreneurs, such as Abby Hardoon ofMagic Momentsand later Host Europe and Nick Robertson ofASOS.ASOSnow has over 2,000 employees and is the United Kingdom's largest independent online and fashion beauty retailer.[2][3][4]
He was also the chair of the AIM-listed company SysGroup, which he originally founded, until it was taken over in 2023 and remains on the board of a number of smaller private companies and charitable trusts.[5][6]
Starting in 1981, for 3 years in a row, Edelson became a judge forMiss Worldalongside its founderEric Morleyas well asDodi FayedandBruce Forsyth.
Manchester United
editEdelson is a non-executive Director ofManchester Unitedand has been in that role from 1982. He was appointed to the board byMartin Edwardsto replaceMatt Busby,who had become club president earlier the same year. Edelson joinedJames Gulliver– who had built up the Edwards family meat business into the £4 billion Argyll Group – and Alan Gibson – the son of James Gibson, who was Manchester United's chairman from 1932 to 1951, and whose loans saved the club from extinction.
Edelson was one of the founder members of the Manchester United Foundation and remains a trustee on the Foundation's Board as well as being involved in a number of other charities.
Publications
edit- Manchester United and M.E.(December 2020)"Manchester United and M.E".7 January 2021.
References
edit- ^Doward, Jamie (7 November 1999)."Knutsford – there's no City limits".The Observer.London.
- ^Feddy, Kevin."Shellmeister takes 'nutty' theme for AIM return".Manchester Evening News.
- ^Ringshaw, Grant (2 May 2004)."Cash shell companies storm back into business".The Telegraph.London.
- ^Warner, Edmond (15 October 2004)."He sells, see shells... an invitation to view".The Guardian.London.
- ^Lyons, Tom (4 December 2012)."Fastnet Oil is set for €25m market debutIt's the first Irish flotation since 2007".Independent Ireland.
- ^"Sterling Green Group acquires Terra Energy in reverse takeover".Manchester Evening News.