Daily Newsletter

16 November 2023

Daily Newsletter

16 November 2023

Thai Central Group gains majority stake in Selfridges amid Signa challenges

Ownership of the companies holding the underlying properties will remain unchanged after the deal.

Jangoulun Singsit November 15 2023

Thailand’s largest department store owner, Central Group, has taken control of Selfridges, according to a report by Reuters, which cited the company’s statement.

The announcement comes as Selfridges’ co-owner and Rene Benko's Austrian real estate company Signa faces restructuring due to liquidity issues.

Rene Benko handed over control of Signa to a restructuring expert this month.

Central Group and Signa purchased Selfridges Group from the Weston family in a deal valued at approximately $5.4bn in August 2022.

The two companies acquired the department store chain in a 50-50 partnership.

At the time of acquisition, Selfridges’ portfolio included 18 stores under four banners in three countries.

It operates as Selfridges in England, De Bijenkorf in the Netherlands and Brown Thomas & Arnotts in Ireland. Its e-commerce platforms attract more than 30 million online visitors monthly and ship to more than 130 countries across the globe.

Selfridges is best known for its flagship store on Oxford Street in London, which occupies an entire city block. Reuters reported that Central Group will also take ownership of their businesses in Ireland and the Netherlands.

Citing those familiar with the financing, Bloomberg reported that the company will gain a majority stake in the joint venture by converting the loan of €360m ($391m) it provided in August.

Following the transaction, no changes will be made in the ownership of the companies holding the underlying properties.

Ecommerce market dynamics

The emergence of ecommerce has made it imperative that companies understand consumer behavior, deliver personalized service, and offer competitive pricing models. Ecommerce giants like Alibaba and Amazon dominate the space, supported by huge customer bases, robust mobile payment platforms, and technology expertise in areas like AI. Smaller players focus on disruptive business models, such as subscription services, to make their mark. Per GlobalData, the ecommerce market was valued at $5.9 trillion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of >9% by 2027.

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