What: The CEO of Central Group gives an interview to lifestyle magazine Monocle.

Why it is important: The group does not have specific plans for further expansion outside Europe, however, they intend to maximize the usage and benefits from their digital platform, which has been launched in Thailand earlier this year.

Tos Chirathivat, CEO and grandson of the founder of Central, took the company into Europe in 2011 when he bought La Rinascente. Since then, the group acquired Illum, Kadewe, Globus. According to him, these opportunities arose due to the fact that the department store job is a tough one. They remain focus on creating destination stores, unique to the city where they belong. He confesses not having any plans to go to the US or Japan, as Europe is already quite a complex playground.

His next grand plan will be to expand the European business through Central’s existing digital platform, which already boasts 18m members within the loyalty program in Thailand.

The interview of Tos Chirathivat, CEO Central Group