According to Bloomberg, businessman Michal Strnad offered about 30 billion euros for the Italian family holding Delfin, which owns the eyewear maker EssilorLuxottica.

Image from the publication Echo24
Image from the publication Echo24, 29. 10. 2026

Businessman Michal Strnad, the owner and chairman of the board of the defence group CSG, offered about 30 billion euros, roughly 730 billion koruna, for the family holding Delfin Sarl, which owns the eyewear maker EssilorLuxottica. The offer was reported on 29 October 2026 by the Bloomberg agency, citing a letter it had seen. The Italian company declined to comment on the report.[1][2][3]

“My father's life work must remain a benefit to Italy.”

Delfin shareholder Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio[3]

According to Bloomberg, Strnad is seeking a 62.5 percent stake rather than a full takeover, and the offer values Delfin at a 30 percent discount to its net asset value.[2][3] The letter is dated 20 October 2026 and is addressed to the chief executive of Delfin. Its content was also reported by the Italian daily Domani. The offer is valid for 30 days, and for the transaction to go ahead all eight shareholders of Delfin would have to approve changes to the ownership restrictions.[3]

Delfin manages the assets of the heirs of Leonardo Del Vecchio, the founder of Luxottica, and according to e15 has assets worth more than 40 billion euros.[1][2] It holds a controlling stake and almost a third of the shares of the EssilorLuxottica group, whose portfolio includes the Ray-Ban and Oakley brands, as well as stakes in the insurer Assicurazioni Generali and in the banks UniCredit and Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena.[1][3]

Delfin shareholder Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio confirmed in a statement that he knows of the offer and said he would ensure that the ownership of Delfin remains in Italian hands: “My father's life work must remain a benefit to Italy.”[3] The server Echo24 reported that it is not known how Strnad would finance a possible transaction or whether it is a binding offer.[1] Economist Lukáš Kovanda described a possible transaction as one of the largest foreign acquisitions in the history of Czech business.[1] According to the e15 Rich List 2026, Strnad is the third richest Czech or Slovak, with an estimated fortune of 347 billion koruna.[2]

Chronology

  • — Michal Strnad offered approximately 30 billion euros (730 billion crowns) for the Italian holding company Delfin, which owns eyewear maker EssilorLuxottica. Echo24 E15

Sources

  1. Echo24 — 29 October 2026
  2. E15 — 29 October 2026
  3. Seznam Zprávy