Who is Dai Yongge?
DAI Yongge is a businessman and entrepreneur with an interest in the world of football.
From football to his family life and fortune – here’s everything you need to know.
Businessman Dai Yongge pictured in 2008Rex Features
Who is Dai Yongge?
As mentioned above, Dai Yongge, born April 28, 1968, is a Chinese businessman and entrepreneur who is the current owner of English football club, Reading F.C.
In May 2017, Dai Yongge alongside his sister Dai Xiuli, became the majority shareholders at the club, buying a 75% stake in the Royals after the club gained approval from the EFL.
The pair became the club’s fourth group of owners in five years.
At the time of the takeover, Dai Yongge said: “One of my first priorities will be to visit the development site for the new training ground.
“We also intend to revisit stadium extension plans with the vision of creating world-class facilities at the club.”
The siblings’ interest in football is reported to have begun after watching Manchester City in the early 2000s.
While they took over Reading as a duo, Dai Yongge is now referred to as the club’s sole owner.
Aside from his interests in the world of sport, Dai Yongge was also the Executive Chairman of Renhe Commercial Holdings Company Limited – a family business specialising in developing underground air raid shelters into shopping malls.
A year later, the company had centres in 30 cities across China including Harbin, Guangzhou, Wuhan and Shenyang.
According to the American business magazine, Xiuli transferred her controlling stake in Renhe to Dai ”as a gift” at no cost in mid-2014.
A later change saw the firm adopt the new name China Dili Group – with a focus on running agricultural markets.
Aside from this information, not much else is known about Dai Yongge, with the businessman reportedly preferring to remain out of the public eye.
Who is Dai Yongge’s sister Dai Xiuli?
As mentioned above, Dai Xiuli is the sister of Dai Yongge – and like her brother, she is also involved in the world of business.
In 2014, Dai Yongge’s sister was named as one of the richest women in the world, with an estimated fortune of $1.2bn (£715m) by Forbes.
Away from the world of business, she was previously married to British maths teacher Tony Hawken – who she wed after moving to England, in 1991.
According to reports, the pair divorced in 2014.
Prior to relocating to the UK, Dai Xiuli earned a bachelor’s degree in Chinese Literature from Heilongjiang University in 1986.
As of September 2023, her exact net worth is unknown – however, according to Forbes, the self-made businesswoman made her fortune in real estate.
Like her brother, aside from this information, not much else is known about Dai Xiuli, with the pair rarely heard from in the UK.
What is Dai Yongge’s net worth?
As of September 2023, Dai Yongge’s exact net worth is unknown.
However, in 2016, the businessman’s fortune was worth $931 million (£656m), according to a Forbes estimate.
How many football teams does Dai Yongge own?
Dai Yongge is currently the owner of Reading F.C, as mentioned above.
Prior to this, Dai and his sister acquired Chinese club Shaanxi Baorong Chanba, relocating it to Guizhou in 2012 and then to Beijing in 2016, becoming Beijing Renhe.
However, by 2021 Beijing Renhe had been dissolved as a business.
In August 2016, the pair also launched an attempted £130m takeover of English Premier League club Hull City – however, this was unsuccessful.
Dai Xiuli also bought KSV Roeselare in 2016 – however, like Beijing Renhe in China, KSV Roeselare also folded following relegation and financial difficulties.
