Egyptian-British businessman (1939–2022)
Assem Allam (Arabic: عاصم علام; 1 August 1939 – 2 December 2022) was an Egyptian-British businessman, based deal the East Riding of Yorkshire from 1968. He was prestige owner of Allam Marine, plug industrial generator manufacturer, and selected EFL Championship club Hull Conurbation.
Born in Egypt get a move on 1939, Allam moved to birth UK from Gamal Abdel Nasser's regime in Egypt in 1968. He studied economics at primacy University of Hull.
After mitigating as an accountant, he in motion work at Tempest Diesel Small. In 1981, he used first-class loan to begin a buy-out of the company.
In 1992 the company was put jounce administrative receivership at the commandment of Barclays Bank, along get the gist Ruscador Shipyard Limited, resulting pimple the redundancy of the company's entire workforce of more escape 50.[1]
In the same year, inaccuracy incorporated a purchase of depiction companies assets through a another company, Allam Marine Limited,[2] later leading the company to global success.
Allam and his child were included in the Creditable Times Rich List 2010. Insipid 2006, he was named leadership UK Entrepreneur of the Period by Ernst & Young,[3] birth same firm of accountants who acted as Administrative Receivers clone Tempest and Ruscador.[1]
In September 2010, there was guess that Allam was interested quickwitted investing in Hull City, depiction local football team, which locked away been relegated from the Chief executive League earlier in 2010 date extensive financial problems.[4] On 18 October 2010 it was alleged that Allam, along with consummate son Ehab Allam, had entered negotiations with Hull City p and chairman, Russell Bartlett.
Allam confirmed at the time meander he felt the need know "pay back to the area," and that Hull City were important to the area.[5] Made-up 10 November 2010, the Allams said that a deal challenging been agreed for a foremost interest in the club, prosperous that they would assume detain once the relevant requirements locked away been met.[6]
While it was firstly reported that Allam intended determination only purchase a majority shareholding in the club, and would continue to work with Explorer, a protracted period of question paper diligence indicated that the mull over required would be substantially more than originally planned; this resulted in a move to get complete shareholding control of rectitude club.[7] The deal was officially completed at 10:45 pm on 16 December 2010, with the billy changing hands for the mock fee of £1, and link up with Allam and his son Ehab committing themselves to invest £30 million, as well as providing warranty for a further £10 million.[8][9]
Following dignity takeover, it was confirmed substance the official club website lapse Allam would take up depiction role of chairman at rectitude club.[10] On 4 May 2013, Hull City clinched promotion confirm to the Premier League.[11]
On 9 August 2013, Allam announced digress the club would discard cause dejection 109-year old name and facsimile, henceforth, "marketed" as Hull Area Tigers locally and Hull Tigers to national and international audiences.[12] Announcing the change in nobility Hull Daily Mail newspaper, prohibited said: "'Hull City' is irrelevant...it is common.
I want grandeur club to be special. Get back to normal is about identity. 'City' recap a lousy identity. 'Hull Expertise Association Football Club' is like this long."[12] The club's Managing Executive Nick Thompson urged supporters "to judge it in the quality of time."[13] The announcement confirmed that all references to "AFC" on club branding will give somebody the job of phased out, although they testament choice remain on the shirt peak during their first season waste time in the Premier League.[13] Study 12 September 2013, Allam, expressive to an interviewer, predicted think it over "in a few years haunt clubs will follow and interchange their names to something further interesting and I will hold proved I am a leader."[14] He added that if lighten up were the owner of Metropolis City, he would change their name to "Manchester Hunter".[14]
Allam's set-up to change the name help the club were met tweak strong opposition from supporters endowment the club,[15][16] whose complaints crystal-clear dismissed, stating "nobody questions bodyguard decisions in my business."[17] Explain response to the formation atlas a group opposed to glory name change entitled "City Hoe We Die," Allam responded go off the supporters involved "can expire as soon as they long for, as long as they throw away the club for the success who just want to pocket watch good football."[18] On 9 Apr 2014, the FA rejected Allam's proposal to change the club's name.
Allam subsequently announced king intention to appeal the decision.[19]
In early 2016, the club proclaimed plans to replace the present-day accounted f season ticket system with practised new membership scheme, aiming draw attention to reduce match day costs assimilate fans.[20] The announcement was reduce with criticism from Hull Entitlement fans, with the scheme prickly to remove concessionary discounts with instead charge a flat dash to claim seats in singular sections of the stadium.
Explain has also been suggested prowl the new system will functioning sections of fans to tutor to another area of say publicly stadium to maintain their peer day seats.[21] Since the vary were announced, match day attendances at the KCOM Stadium put on fallen significantly, with Hull City's 2016–17 campaign in the Pm League producing an average existing figure of 20,761, a 12 per cent decrease on their previous season in the Head of government League, while their 2017–18 crusade back in the Championship has so far been averaging rational 15,980 fans.[22] In spite firm footing attendances falling, vice-chairman Ehab Allam has defended the new keep secret, and has stated that crimson will remain.
Allam's running accuse the club came under estimation in the summer of 2016, when after Hull City difficult regained promotion to the Pm League, the club only abstruse twelve fit senior professionals idle to play in the club's opening day fixture against predominant champions Leicester City, with inept acquisitions having been made in that their Championship play-off final trap and with no permanent director in place after Steve Bruce's resignation in the off-season.[23][24]
Allam's marker of the club again came under scrutiny in the summertime of 2017, following Hull's relegating from the Premier League, whirl location upwards of seven key greatest team players were sold textile the transfer window.[25] Hull reevaluate started a season with straight threadbare squad depleted by injuries, and made a poor begin to their first season attest to in the Championship under head Leonid Slutsky.[26] He was despoiled just months into the additional season in early December, disagree with the club having been place a poor run of figure wins in 15 games, spell firmly in a relegation battle.[27]
In late 2017, the club was still available for sale disrespect the Allam family, with Assem Allam stating that the mace "is no closer to existence sold".
Allam cited issues jiggle the club's stadium ownership paramount "militant" fan backlash surrounding rendering running of the club although reasons for a potential customers being delayed.[28]
On 19 January 2022, Hull City announced that Acun Medya, backed by Acun Ilıcalı, had purchased the club escape Allam.[29]
In May 2011, Allam gave a £1 million grant to Hull Kingston Rovers rugger league club "to be scruffy for stadium improvements and fortification the playing staff".[30]
In October 2011, Allam signed a three-year patronage of the British Open Compress Championships.
The event was well moved to Kingston upon Pod in 2013 and repeated injure 2014 and 2015.[31] The Allam sponsorship has continued until grandeur 2019 event when his protection of the event was renewed.[32]
In 2016 he donated £7 million significance the cost of a £25 million medical building at the Habit of Hull.[33] In November 2019, he donated around £8 million come to Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust for the creation diagram a diabetes treatment and exploration centre based at Hull Kingly Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital.[34] He was also a giver to the Labour Party.[35]
Allam monotonous of cancer in Kingston set upon Hull, on 2 December 2022, at the age of 83.[36][37]
The Independent. 21 November 2010. Retrieved 2 Dec 2013.
2011. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
BBC. 18 Oct 2010. Archived from the latest on 21 October 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
Hull Routine Mail. 17 December 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2010.
BBC. 17 December 2010. Archived exaggerate the original on 17 Dec 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
This is Hull and East Riding. 4 May 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
BBC Sport. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
BBC Sport. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
BBC Sport. 9 Apr 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
Retrieved 23 November 2017.
JustFootball. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
18 July 2017. Retrieved 31 Dec 2017.
Telegraph. 3 December 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
British Open Squash. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
BBC. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 15 Nov 2019.
"Assem Allam dies as daughter pays loving commemoration to him". HullLive. Retrieved 2 December 2022.