Quentin Griffiths, the British entrepreneur who co-founded global fashion retailer ASOS, has died following a fall from a high-rise balcony in Thailand. Thai police confirmed the 58-year-old fell from the 17th floor of his Pattaya apartment building on February 9th.
According to Pattaya law enforcement, preliminary investigation evidence points toward suicide with no immediate indications of criminal involvement. Closed-circuit footage revealed no unauthorized entries to Griffiths’ residence, where he lived alone. His body has been transferred for autopsy to determine the precise cause of death.
Police disclosed that Griffiths had expressed concerns to a Thai friend regarding ongoing legal disputes with his former wife, who holds Thai citizenship. Documentation related to these lawsuits was discovered within his apartment during the police examination.
The British Foreign Office acknowledged providing consular assistance to Griffiths’ family and maintaining communication with Thai authorities regarding the incident.
Griffiths established ASOS (originally ‘As Seen On Screen’) alongside Nick Robertson in 2000, pioneering the online fashion retail model. The company achieved remarkable success following its 2001 listing on London’s Alternative Investment Market, defying the post-dot-com bubble trend of e-commerce failures. As marketing director until his 2004 departure, Griffiths played a pivotal role in developing the brand’s digital strategy. He retained substantial shareholding for approximately another decade.
Recently, ASOS has faced significant market challenges including intensified competition from budget-friendly Chinese platforms and rising operational costs, resulting in a dramatic 96% decline from its peak share valuation.