Who is Daniel Levy?
Daniel Levy is a prominent English businessman and chairperson of the Premier League football club, Tottenham Hotspur. He is the longest-serving chairperson in the Premier League, a position he has held since 2001.
Levy owns over 29% of the share capital of ENIC International Limited, the company that owns more than 85% of the issued share capital of the Premier League club – Tottenham Hotspur.
Quick Facts
Full Name: | Daniel Phillip Levy |
Popular Name: | Daniel Levy |
Gender: | Male |
Birth Date: | February 8, 1962 |
Age: | 60 years |
Parents: | Barry Levy |
Siblings: | Jonathan Levy, Robert Levy |
Birth Place: | Essex, England |
Nationality: | British |
Ethnicity: | Jewish-British |
Education: | Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge |
Marital Status: | Married |
Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
Wife/Spouse: | Tracy Dixon |
Children: | Joshua Levy, Oliver Levy, Chloe Levy, and Gabriella Levy |
Dating: | N/A |
Net Worth: | $410 Million |
Source of Wealth: | Entrepreneurship |
Height: | 5ft8 (1.75m) |
Weight: | 70kg (154lbs) |
Early Life and Career Information
Levy was born and raised in Essex, England, to Barry Levy, the owner of a clothing retail business, Mr. Byrite. He is of Jewish descent. A lifelong Tottenham Hotspur supporter, he went to his first match at White Hart Lane in the 1960s. He attended Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and obtained a First Class Honors Degree in Economics and Land Economy in 1985.
Levy joined his family business, Mr. Byrite (rebranded as Blue Inc.), where he worked with his brothers after graduation. He was also involved in property development and various other businesses. He became involved in an investment trust called ENIC International Ltd, specializing in sports (football in particular), entertainment, and media owned by Joe Lewis.
He became the managing director of ENIC in 1995. He owns 29.4% of the share capital of ENIC, while Lewis owns 70.6%. Levy was a director of the Scottish football club Rangers, in which ENIC held a significant stake until 2004. ENIC also acquired stakes in other European football clubs, including AEK Athens, Slavia Prague, FC Basel, and Vicenza, all of which have been sold.
Levy made several attempts to buy Tottenham Hotspur from Alan Sugar but failed. However, Alan was persuaded to sell by the increasing hostility by fans towards him. He was appointed to the board of Tottenham Hotspur in 2000 after ENIC purchased a 27% stake in the club from Sugar, bringing their total stake to 29.9%.
Levy replaced Sugar as chairman of Tottenham Hotspur in 2001 and took over the day-to-day running of the club. ENIC increased their shareholding and gained control of the company in 2007 after buying the remaining shares of Sugar and other shareholders, acquiring 85.55% of Tottenham. In 2012, ENIC moved the club into its private ownership.
Levy became the top-paid chief executive in the Premier League with an annual remuneration of over £6 million in 2017. His early years were characterized by some coaching changes as the club drifted along in mid-table. In 2004, he appointed Martin Jol as the club’s head coach. Jol successfully moved Tottenham out of the mid-table.
In 2007, Levy sacked Jol after the team only won one game in the first ten games of the season. He replaced Jol with Spanish coach Juande Ramos. With Ramos, Tottenham defeated Chelsea and won the League Cup in 2008.
During this period, Levy developed a reputation as the most formidable negotiator in English football. Sir Alex Ferguson, former Manchester United manager, even described negotiating with Levy over the transfer of Dimitar Berbatov as a harrowing experience.
Levy removed Ramos after a poor run in late 2008 and replaced him with Harry Redknapp. Redknapp guided Spurs to a top-four finish in 2010. Redknapp was sacked after failing to agree to terms for a new deal, and he was replaced by Andres Villas-Boas.
In 2013, Levy negotiated a then world-record fee of £86 million for the transfer of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. He is known for his last-minute dealings on the last day of the transfer window, with noteworthy examples including the signings of Rafael van der Vaart and Hugo Lloris.
In 2014, Levy appointed Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino as head coach. Pochettino established Tottenham as one of the best teams in the country. With Pochettino, the team ranked among the top 4, which allowed them to qualify and participate in the Champions League. The club reached the final for the first time but lost to Liverpool in the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final.
Pochettino was relieved as manager of Spurs and was replaced by José Mourinho. After less than two years, Mourinho was sacked in April 2021 after a spate of losses and a disappointing second half of the season. In November 2021, Levy appointed Antonio Conte as head coach on an 18-month deal, with an option to extend.
Levy oversaw every aspect of the construction of a new stadium next to the White Hart Lane site. It was designed with an initial capacity of over 62,000, which will make it the largest club stadium in London and the second largest in the country. It will provide Spurs with a substantial increase in revenue.
Daniel Levy’s Net Worth
He is known as one of the most perceptive negotiators in the Premier League. He has made many deals that have brought Spurs outstanding revenue. Levy is one of the wealthiest chairpersons in the Premier League, alongside Stan Kroenke and Roman Abramovich.
Levy is estimated to have an impressive net worth of over $410 Million.
Lessons from the Life of Daniel Levy
Stay Firm and Take Charge
Levy has commandeered his family’s business and the Tottenham club with a firm hand. Regardless of popular opinion, he does what he believes is best. While it is good to listen to others, it is essential to know your own mind and make decisions accordingly. You’re in charge of the destiny you want to see.
Patience Yields Results
Levy was a fan of the club for many years and tried to acquire its ownership several times. Though his offers were rejected, it wasn’t enough to make him give up, and eventually, he became the owner of Tottenham Hotspur. Keep going on your path with patience and persistence; you can make your hopes bloom.