Asos co-founder dies in fall from 18-storey building in Thailand

Original article by Rebecca Ratcliffe in Bangkok

Quentin Griffiths, the co-founder of the online fashion retailer Asos, has died after falling from an apartment building in the Thai seaside resort city of Pattaya.

Police told Reuters that the 58-year-old had fallen from the 17th floor of an 18-storey condominium on 9 February.

Police said initial investigations suggested suicide, and there were no indications of foul play. CCTV showed no sign of anybody entering his apartment, where he had lived alone, but his body had been sent for an autopsy, they added.

The police also quoted a Thai friend of Griffiths as saying he had been worried about lawsuits from his former wife, a Thai national. Documents related to those lawsuits were found in his apartment, the police said.

The retail entrepreneur, a British passport holder, co-founded Asos in London in 2000 with Nick Robertson, the great-grandson of the eponymous founder of the suit retailer Austin Reed. The business launched with the name As Seen on Screen, before switching to the Asos acronym in 2002. It was floated on London’s Alternative Investment Market in 2001 and grew to become one of the world’s largest online fashion retailers, with its designs worn by Rihanna and Michelle Obama. Griffiths left the company in 2005 but remained a large shareholder for nearly another decade.

He later pursued several other ventures, co-founding the online furniture store Achica, the music-focused fashion retailer EBTM, and Adili, an ethical clothing website. EBTM later went into administration, while Adili was sold for a nominal £1.

Asked about Griffiths, the UK Foreign Office said it was supporting “the family of a British national who has died in Thailand” and was in touch with the local authorities.

Asos said in a statement: “We’re saddened to hear about the passing of Quentin, one of our original co-founders. He played an important role in Asos’ earliest days and we’re forever grateful for his contribution. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”