One interesting things to note about the Smyths group is that its non-family officer class all appear to be relatively young. Most senior executives are aged in their early-to-mid 30s, or up to 40 at most. Youth brings dynamism. The German-headquartered Toys R Us business comes replete with its own management team, which has become accustomed to operating under the banner of a global corporate giant.
The Smyths must move quickly to integrate that management team into their family-owned group. But they must also send over to Germany some of their own executives if the intention is to rebrand all of the European stores to Smyths. This will stretch the head office.
Tony Smyth indicated last Saturday that the business is planning further European expansion. The group has since rowed back from that somewhat this week and said it is immediately focused on integrating its new acquisition. A sale process remains ongoing for the strong Toys R Us division in France , which Smyths has surely looked at. Buying that too would truly make the Smyths from Mayo a European force. They might never get such an opportunity again. Since then, the Heineken-owned brand has hurt its incumbent rival.
Bulmers volumes were down 6 per cent last year. In came a push for younger drinkers, with television ads featuring house parties with an edgier, sexier theme. In response, Appleman now appears to be making a play for the heritage-loving drinkers previously targeted by Bulmers.
That is straight from the old Bulmers playbook. There is sure to be a response. Years ago, in its field-drinking flagons guise, cider had a reputation as a fuel for fights. As gregarious and confident as ever, he enthusiastically shook hands with members of the media, cracking jokes and radiating his old charm. But life must still be lived. See a sample. Please update your payment details to keep enjoying your Irish Times subscription.
Mark Paul. A US bankruptcy judge must yet approve the transaction. Home energy upgrades are now more important than ever. Commenting on The Irish Times has changed. To comment you must now be an Irish Times subscriber. The account details entered are not currently associated with an Irish Times subscription.
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Please enter your email address so we can send you a link to reset your password. A small minority stake, possibly held by other family members, is controlled by an Isle of Man entity. Tony and Padraig run Smyths Toys, and their shareholdings give them joint control. Tony is managing director and has been closely involved in planning the British conquest and minding the balance sheet.
Remarkably, given the speed of the rollout, Smyths in the UK has little debt outside the group. Smyths is financed by AIB and Barclays , and has a charge over the assets of the unlimited holding company. Despite their financial secrecy, the Smyths are clearly among the richest retailing families in Ireland, behind grocery dynasties such as the Dunnes and Musgraves.
If Tony is the money man, then Padraig is the toy guy. The Gloucester planning application lays out Smyths warehouse-like operational formula, comprising wide aisles and cavernous single storey outlets typically of about 25, sq ft.
Smyths stores sell 13, product lines and at peak times a typical outlet can shift bikes a week, trikes and scooters, sandpits and trampolines. In coming weeks, however, they will sell very few Hatchimals. A disaster for worried parents, of course, but the Smyths will be alright. Solicitors are not usually known for their verbal incontinence, but the award for worst analogy of the week surely must go to the director general of the Law Society, Ken Murphy below.
A Brexit-driven influx of 1, new briefs — of them re-registered from across the water — could be described as many things: a potential boon for Brown Thomas, perhaps, or maybe a threat to Irish reserves of Krug. But a tsunami? That might be a little over the top, especially at this time of year. Anyway, the image of a tidal wave of pin-striped suits and leather briefcases crashing down on the beach at Sandymount is just too dystopian to contemplate.
What next? A tornado of teachers? A cyclone of chartered accountants? That really would be a national emergency. In fairness to TV3, it makes perfect commercial sense to tailor one of the three stations in the group towards the sort of light entertainment shows that industry statistics have proven draw the bulk of their audience from women. Feminists might not like the association between such content and women, but television channels base decisions such as these on qualitative research and advertising nous, not prejudice.
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