Former Prince Andrew aide working on Currys takeover bid
JD.com has yet to submit a formal offer for Currys, but has been set a mid-March deadline by the Takeover Panel to do so or walk away
Amanda Thirsk, former aide to Prince Andrew, is reportedly playing a key role in JD.com’s attempted takeover of Currys, according to Sky News.
Thirsk, who quit her role as the Duke of York’s private secretary almost four years ago, is currently working in a senior business development role at JD.com.
Sources said she is involved in JD.com’s evaluation of a possible bid for Currys, which turned down a bid from Elliot Advisors last week.
Thirsk worked at Buckingham Palace for Prince Andrew from 2004 until the spring of 2020, when she reached a termination settlement following the fallout from the Prince’s BBC Panorama interview.
She also quit her role as chief executive of Pitch@Palace, Prince Andrew’s flagship business venture shortly after.
JD.com has yet to submit a formal offer for Currys, but has been set a mid-March deadline by the Takeover Panel to do so or walk away.
The retailer operates more than 1,600 warehouses in China, making it a vast logistics player.
