Thomas Zilliacus has revealed that Manchester United fans could have a say on decisions about club dividends should he win the takeover race.
The Finnish businessman told the Manchester Evening News on Friday that his bid is “on the same level” as those from Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and announced on Saturday morning that he had increased his offer.
His bid, made through XXI Century Capital - an investment firm owned by his holding company, proposes that he buys 50 per cent of United while club supporters own the other half, with fans being able to vote on many key decisions through an app.
READ MORE: Thomas Zilliacus insists United bid is 'on same level' as Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe
Head of social media entity novaM Group, Zilliacus has rich experience in the mobile industry having held senior positions with Nokia, where he became Corporate Communications Global Head in 1980 before leading the company’s move into Asia from 1986 until 1993.
Among other ventures, he founded and leads Mobile FutureWorks, an investment firm which aids the growth of mobile and digital media and whose board contains former CEOs of the likes of Ericsson and Nokia Mobile Phones as well as the ex-Minister of Communications of Finland.
Zilliacus told MEN Sport that his team are already drafting up detailed plans of what the app for United fan investors could look like and what kinds of decisions supporters would be able to have a say in.
The 69-year-old outlined that United fans would be able to vote on broad issues and “the bigger and general principles of the club”, including player transfer philosophy - for example, should the Reds target younger prospects or established international stars.
However, the Scandinavian entrepreneur - who was chairman of Finnish football giants HJK Helsinki between 1982 and 1986 - refrained from suggesting that fans would be able to vote on more divisive topics such as the sacking of managers, specific transfer targets and squad selection.
“We’d obviously have to discuss in detail what makes sense and what does not make sense,” Zilliacus told MEN Sport. “I don’t think owners should get involved, for example, in which players should be playing. We need to avoid going too far.
“It’s more about the bigger and general principles of the club - what kind of club do we want to have, what kind of values, what kind of player philosophy do we want to have? Do we want to go for younger players or more established stars - the issues that are more strategic level for what the club should be and represent.”
Zilliacus stressed that discussions around club values would be “very important” and highlighted Marcus Rashford as a “good example” of what the club stands for amid the work he has done away from football.
Meanwhile, many United fans have been angered by the Glazers’ decision to take dividends out of the club during their reign. Zilliacus indicated that under his stewardship of the club, investing fans would be able to vote on matters relating to dividends.
He said: “It’s a bit like in a company where the shareholders can vote for what kind of dividends is paid out. So definitely on those kind of bigger matters, I think the fans’ vote should be heard.”
Explaining his thinking about utilising an app as a way of connecting fans to the club, he added: “We are looking at an app for fans to vote but also speaking to players and fans to engage with the club and players, if the club allows it.
“So fans sitting in Ethiopia or China can feel as if they are in Manchester themselves. That to me is important for two reasons. One, so that the fanbase of Utd will grow even further.
“And second, as a result of a growing fanbase, the club can generate additional revenue by offering fans around the world solutions that do not require them to be physically present at Old Trafford. That money then goes to the club to develop the club further and acquire players and so forth.”
Zilliacus is also open to bringing in external funding and has reached out to the parties of both Sheikh Al-Thani and Ratcliffe regarding a joint bid.
The former lodged a second, revised bid on Saturday after the Raine Group - the bank overseeing the takeover process - extended its soft deadline from Wednesday evening. Ratcliffe tabled his second bid on Thursday.
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