A co-founder of online fashion giant Asos has died in Thailand.
Quentin Griffiths has been named by Thai police as the man found dead following a fall from an 18-storey apartment block in the eastern seaside city of Pattaya on 9th February.
Griffiths, 58, was a long-term resident on the 17th floor. Police said initial investigations suggested suicide as Griffiths was by himself, his room was locked and there was no evidence of a break-in.
An autopsy did not reveal any evidence of foul play, they added.
Griffiths was involved in two ongoing court cases that might have caused him stress, police told the BBC.
Separated from his second wife, a Thai national, he had reportedly been engaged in a legal dispute with her over a business they ran together.
Griffiths co-founded Asos in London in 2000 with Nick Robertson, Andrew Regan and Deborah Thorpe and it floated in 2001.
Initially known as As Seen On Screen, it focused on fashion worn by celebrities but switched to the Asos acronym in 2002.
Griffiths left the firm around 2005 but remained a significant shareholder for many years.
An Asos spokesperson said: “We’re saddened to hear about the passing of Quentin, one of our original co-founders.
“He played an important role in Asos’s earliest days and we’re forever grateful for his contribution.
“Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
A 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 also co-founding luxury lifestyle online retailer Achica, which has changed ownership several times; a fashion retailer focused on music, EBTM, which later went into administration; and ethical clothing website Adili, which was sold for £1.
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