Quentin Griffiths, the co-founder of clothing brand Asos, has tragically died after falling from a high-rise apartment block in Thailand.
Reports state the 58-year-old fell from the balcony of his apartment on the 17th floor in Pattaya, a popular tourist destination.
He was discovered on the ground outside the building on February 9.
Police told the BBC that Griffiths was the only person in the apartment, and that the room was locked from the inside, with no indication of a break-in.
Emergency services attended the scene and recovered his body, and an initial post-mortem examination reportedly found no signs pointing to foul play.
Additional forensic examinations are expected to take place in the coming days before authorities issue an official cause of death.
Authorities have also noted that a complete post-mortem process can take months to conclude.
In the wake of the death, a UK Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in Thailand and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Griffiths helped launch fashion retailer Asos in 2000, founding the business alongside Nick Robertson and Andrew Regan.
He stepped away from running the company in 2005 to focus on other ventures, and later relocated from the UK to Thailand in 2007.
Although he left day-to-day involvement, he continued to hold a substantial stake in the company after his exit.
After leaving his marketing director role, Griffiths reportedly made around £15 million through share sales in 2010, followed by another major payout several years later.
More recently, he had been involved in a legal dispute with his ex-wife, who alleged he took more than $673,000 from a business they had operated together.
His former partner, a Thai national, also claimed he falsified paperwork to sell land and shares without her awareness.
Griffiths was arrested and questioned by police, and the inquiry was believed to still be active at the time of his death.
He consistently rejected the allegations and maintained that he had done nothing wrong.
A friend of Griffith’s family told The Sun: “It’s a real mystery. The phrase ‘suspicious circumstances’ has been used but we just don’t know yet.”
Investigations into Griffiths’ death are continuing, with Thai authorities involved and support also being provided through UK channels.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].