Millennial Defense Boss $22B Richer This Year, Second Behind Elon Musk

A millennial protection chief has racked up extra wealth within the first few weeks of 2026 than anybody besides Elon Musk.

Michal Strnad, 33, has grown $22 billion richer for the reason that begin of January, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index exhibits. Solely the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who’s up $70 billion yr up to now, has built more wealth over that interval.

Strnad’s internet price has soared 150% to $37 billion in lower than a month, vaulting him into sixty fourth place on the rich list. He is now wealthier than Fb cofounder Eduardo Saverin, SoftBank chief Masayoshi Son, and metal magnate Lakshmi Mittal.

His wealth surge was sparked by the itemizing of his firm, Czechoslovak Group, in Amsterdam on Friday. CSG secured a public valuation north of $30 billion with Strnad promoting about $3 billion price of his shares within the IPO, paring his possession from nearly 100% to 85%.

As a protection govt in his 30s, Strnad stands out among the many 10 best wealth gainers this yr, a lot of whom are a lot older and have software program fortunes. That checklist contains Interactive Brokers founder Thomas Peterffy, 81, and Alphabet cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, each 52.

Bloomberg up to date Strnad’s internet price primarily based on his CSG stake. It beforehand relied on CSG’s financials and its protection friends’ valuation multiples.

Strnad took over the household enterprise

CSG’s web site exhibits it began as Excalibur Military, an organization based by Strnad’s father in 1995 to fabricate land gear for army, police, and emergency companies.

Strnad joined the enterprise in 2011, turned CEO in 2013, and took possession in 2018. He has broadened CSG’s focus and footprint: it now employs over 14,000 individuals throughout eight nations and operates within the auto, aerospace, railway, and protection industries.

CSG has expanded largely by means of acquisitions, together with Tatra Vans, shotgun-maker Perazzi, and The Kinetic Group, which owns the Federal and Remington ammo manufacturers.

Strnad’s firm additionally owns a coaching academy for helicopter pilots and floor personnel in Slovakia, runs a munitions plant in Spain, and holds a license from Basic Dynamics’ European arm to construct Pandur armored automobiles.

Protection shares have outperformed in recent years because of higher defense-spending commitments from governments, and the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Gaza conflicts boosting demand for army gear.