Central Group appoints ‘Sean Hill,’ a fourth-generation member of the Chirathivat family, as CEO of luxury department store de Bijenkorf in the Netherlands.
Central Group has officially announced the appointment of Sean Hill as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of de Bijenkorf in the Netherlands, covering all seven branches, effective from 1 July 2025.
His core mission is to lead the legendary luxury department store—an Amsterdam icon—into a new era, enhancing customer experiences to a superior level amid the rapidly evolving retail world.
Sean is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in international department store and retail businesses, especially in the European market. He brings deep expertise in strategy, management, finance, and brand development for urban luxury retail across Europe under Central Group.
Prior to his current role, Sean held key positions including Retail Expansion Manager at Rinascente in Italy, Chief Operating Officer of the KaDeWe Group in Germany, and Managing Director of Central Europe for Central Group—responsible for guiding high‑end department stores across seven European countries, overseeing network expansion investments and commercial real estate management in prime locations.
Sean is also the eldest grandson of Samrit Chirathivat, co‑founder of Central Group. Samrit played a crucial role in establishing modern Thai retail business and expanding the family empire globally.
Commenting on his appointment, Sean Hill said,
“I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to continue de Bijenkorf’s legacy—a store with a strong foundation and distinctive identity. I see tremendous potential for de Bijenkorf to be a key piece in Central Group’s growth in the European market.”
de Bijenkorf in the Netherlands is a 155‑year‑old department store with seven locations nationwide. It is part of the Selfridges Group, in which Central Group began investing in 2022.
Central Group’s current European portfolio spans seven countries—investments in six countries are direct personal investments by Central Group and are separate from Central Retail Corporation (SET: CRC) and Central Pattana (SET: CPN):
- United Kingdom: Selfridges department stores
- Netherlands: de Bijenkorf
- Ireland: Brown Thomas and Arnotts department stores
- Germany: KaDeWe in Berlin; Oberpollinger in Munich; Alsterhaus in Hamburg
- Denmark: Illum department store
- Switzerland: Globus department store and Globus Food Hall
Regarding Italy:
- Central Retail Corporation (CRC) fully owns and operates nine Rinascente department store locations.
- Central Group fully owns and manages the real estate and buildings of two branches—Rome Tritone and Turin.
