Who is Dermot Desmond? Get to know Celtic’s supremo and major shareholder since 1999

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Dermot Desmond is a name every single Celtic fan in the world knows.

That’s because the Irish billionaire is the Scottish Premiership club’s largest shareholder, a title he has held since 1999 when he bought out the rest of Fergus McCann’s stake.

Celtic have enjoyed huge success with Desmond at the helm, with the club winning an incredible 46 major trophies since his first investment in 1994.

But recently, he has come under fierce criticism from Celtic fans who are unhappy with how the club is being run after a disastrous 2025 summer transfer window and a failure to reach the Champions League league phase.

Here is absolutely everything you need to know about Celtic’s largest shareholder Dermot Desmond as we answer all of your frequently asked questions.

Dermot Desmond’s age, wife and children

Desmond was born in Macroom, County Cork, Ireland on August 14, 1950 and grew up in the Dublin suburb of Marino. As of September 2025, he is 75 years old.

Desmond is married to Patricia ‘Pat’ Desmond. She keeps a relatively low profile and prefers to stay out of her husband’s spotlight.

The couple have four children together – Brett, Ross, Derry and Zoë. In August 2009, Brett wedded singer Andrea Corr.

Desmond’s net worth and Celtic shares

According to Forbes as of September 2025, Desmond’s net worth is $2.3 billion, which is over £1.7 billion. In comparison, his net worth in 2016 was $1.6 billion.

As of August 2025, Desmond owns over 32.7 million shares in Celtic PLC. His slice of the pie is worth just over £54 million at the current share price of 165 pence.

How did Dermot Desmond make his money?

Desmond was a stockbroker in his early career, working for the American multinational bank Citibank in Dublin before earning further experience at the Investment Bank of Ireland.

In 1981, the Irishman founded National City Brokers (NCB). He found great success by growing it into a major Irish stockbroking firm.

Thirteen years after setting up NCB, Desmond sold it to Ulster Bank for roughly £40 million. And that allowed him to set up International Investment & Underwriting Ltd, Desmond’s private investment vehicle.

Probably his best investment was London City Airport. He bought it in 1995 for around £23 million and went on to sell eleven years later for over £750 million.

Other key investments and business moves include BETDAQ, the Sandy Lane resort in Barbados and of course, Celtic Football Club PLC.

Desmond’s investment into Celtic

Desmond is currently the major shareholder in Celtic, owning just under 35% of the business he started investing into in 1994.

By 1999, he became Celtic’s largest shareholder after buying out Fergus McCann’s remaining £8m stake. At that time, he owned 20% of the shares, up from 14%.

Desmond has a seat on the club’s board of directors as a non-executive director. The Irishman is the current longest-serving board member having been appointed in May 1995.

What companies and hotels does Dermot Desmond own?

Here is a list of Desmond’s current investments, some of which have already been mentioned above:

Desmond’s stake in Shamrock Rovers

In 2012, Desmond purchased a small stake in League of Ireland outfit Shamrock Rovers when the club were seeking external investment.

As of 2025, he currently owns a 25% stake in the club. Shamrock Rovers Members Club are the majority shareholders.

His investment has helped to improve the club’s academy and infrastructure, most notably the development of the Tallaght Stadium.

Does Dermot Desmond own a golf club?

Desmond co-owns The Country Club, which is part of the Sandy Lane Resort in Barbados. He also holds shares in and is a member of Queenwood Golf Club in Surrey, England.