Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was a Thai billionaire businessman and the owner of Leicester City Football Club whose extraordinary generosity, warmth and community spirit left a profound mark on everyone who knew or benefited from his remarkable leadership.
Under his ownership from 2010, Leicester City were transformed from a struggling Championship club into Premier League champions in 2015-16 — one of the greatest sporting upsets of all time. His investment, his belief and his personal commitment to the club and its community made the impossible possible.
But Vichai was celebrated not just for sporting success. He was renowned for his extraordinary generosity to the Leicester community — providing free pizzas and beer to fans, offering free transport, funding local hospitals, and treating players, staff and supporters with dignity and warmth that was rare in the modern game.
He was tragically killed in a helicopter crash at the King Power Stadium in October 2018, just days before this award was accepted on his behalf. He is remembered with profound love and gratitude by Leicester City supporters and by all who knew him.