Nassef Sawiris lands in Nice amid negotiations to acquire French club FC Annecy

Nassef Sawiris flew his Gulfstream G700 (M-YNNS) from Valencia to Nice on June 9, a short 81-minute hop across the Mediterranean. The flight comes as the Aston Villa co-owner is reportedly negotiating to acquire a majority stake in French second-tier side FC Annecy, according to Business Insider Africa. Sawiris and his business partner Wes Edens are said to be adding the club to their V Sports network, which already includes Spain's Real Union and Japan's Vissel Kobe.

The Annecy talks are the latest in a series of moves that have reshaped Sawiris's travel patterns. Recent flights show him shuttling between London, New York, and the French Riviera—a route that aligns with his decision to leave the UK after the abolition of the non-dom tax regime. He closed his London family office in April 2026 and is now a resident of Italy, per reports from billionaires.africa. Nice, just a short drive from the Italian border, has become a convenient base for his European business interests, including the potential French football deal.

While the Annecy negotiations are ongoing, the trip to Nice suggests Sawiris is actively pursuing the expansion of his football holdings. The Gulfstream G700, registered through NS Aviation, is a familiar sight at Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport, where he now lands frequently as he reshuffles his business operations away from London.