What was Coventry City owner Doug King doing before he joined the Sky Blues? | OneFootball

FLW looks at what Doug King was doing before he took over as Coventry City owner in 2023.

The Doug King era at Coventry City has already witnessed some extraordinary moments.

The Sky Blues have struggled in the 2024/25 campaign so far, but the last two seasons have seen them enjoy some rather memorable moments under Mark Robins and owner, Doug King.

Coventry looked destined for a long-awaited return to the Premier League in 2023, after such a strong Championship campaign which saw them finish fifth in the table. Robins' men made it to the play-off final at Wembley but fell short at the final hurdle to Luton Town, via a penalty shootout.

It was still a season to remember for the Sky Blues, and it was the first under the ownership of Doug King. While they did not have as strong of a league campaign last season, it was their FA Cup antics that made the headlines.

Coventry unprecedentedly made the semi-finals of the competition, where they met Manchester United at Wembley. Robins' side came from 3-0 down to go level at 3-3, but unfortunately they suffered yet another penalty shootout defeat at Wembley.

They left with their heads held high though, after what was an extraordinary FA Cup tie against English giants. The Sky Blues owner, Doug King, has certainly enjoyed some great moments in the early days of his tenure.

Today, FLW focuses on the Coventry owner and what he was doing before he took ownership of the club.

Doug King took over in 2023

A 15-year spell with Mayfair-based hedge fund Sisu saw a lot of disappointment and heartbreak, especially when they fell all the way to League Two in 2016.

One of the few positives was that they appointed Mark Robins as manager in 2017, who went on to have a huge impact on the club. In November 2022, Sisu agreed a deal to sell the club to Doug King, who initially held an 85% stake.

That then turned into 100% ownership in January 2023, in a deal that cleared all of Coventry's debts. Upon taking ownership, King told the media:

"I am honoured and excited to be taking this Club forward into its next chapter. To get this deal ratified in just over six weeks and over the Christmas period was a great effort from all involved.

"Already I have been struck by the enthusiasm of Sky Blues fans, with many personally wishing me well and I thank them for those sentiments. I am looking forward to the future of this great club and what we can achieve together."

What did King do before taking ownership of Coventry?

The Coventry City owner graduated from Loughborough University with a mathematical engineering degree and has a background in trading grains, non-grain feeds and petroleum.

He is currently the CEO of Stratford-upon-Avon based company Yelo enterprises, a business that produces high-quality food and feed from UK-grown rapeseed.

On top of that, King is also the CEO of RCMA Capital LLP, which oversees investments of over $400 million. His business, Yelo Enterprises, has invested more than £70 million into the industry.