Central Group

Central Group began in 1947 when Tiang and Samrit Chirathivat opened a small shop called Central Trading in Bangkok's Sam Peng area, selling imported books and general goods. Nine years later, they launched Thailand's first modern department store at Wang Burapha, setting the stage for what would become the country's largest retail and real estate conglomerate. Today, the privately held company spans four main segments: retail (department stores, supermarkets, electronics), real estate (shopping malls via Central Pattana), hospitality (hotels and restaurants under Central Plaza Hotel), and financial services (credit cards and insurance).

Under the leadership of Tos Chirathivat, a grandson of the founders, Central Group has aggressively expanded into Europe since 2015. It now owns some of the continent's most prestigious luxury department stores: Selfridges in the UK, KaDeWe in Berlin, Globus in Switzerland, and La Rinascente in Italy. In 2024, the group completed a full buyout of Selfridges Group after its Austrian partner Signa Holding filed for insolvency. Domestically, Central Group competes with The Mall Group and Siam Piwat, while in Europe it goes up against Harrods and Galeries Lafayette.

Exact revenue figures are private, but its publicly listed subsidiaries give a clear picture: Central Retail Corporation reported about $4.5 billion in 2023, Central Pattana around $1.2 billion, and Central Plaza Hotel roughly $0.5 billion. Combined group revenue is estimated at over $10 billion annually. The Chirathivat family's net worth is pegged at $10–12 billion by Forbes in 2024. Central Group operates more than 1,000 stores and properties across Thailand, Vietnam, and Europe, and is investing heavily in sustainability with a goal of net-zero carbon by 2050.[edit]