Watsons is the flagship health and beauty brand of AS Watson Group, which is in turn majority-owned by CK Hutchison Holdings.
Understanding Watsons' Ownership Structure
Watsons (Chinese: 屈臣氏) is a prominent Hong Kong-based health and beauty care chain store with a strong presence across Asia and Europe. Its ownership can be traced through a clear corporate hierarchy.
AS Watson Group: The Direct Parent Company
Watsons operates as the leading health and beauty brand under the AS Watson Group. The AS Watson Group is a vast retail and manufacturing conglomerate, overseeing a diverse portfolio of brands beyond just Watsons, including other health and beauty retailers, supermarkets, consumer electronics, and more. Watsons is considered its flagship brand in the health and beauty sector.
CK Hutchison Holdings: The Ultimate Majority Owner
The AS Watson Group itself is not an independent entity but is majority-owned by CK Hutchison Holdings. CK Hutchison Holdings is a multinational conglomerate based in Hong Kong, with diverse business interests spanning ports and related services, retail, infrastructure, energy, and telecommunications in over 50 countries. Its majority stake in AS Watson Group means it ultimately controls Watsons.
To summarize the ownership hierarchy:
Entity | Role |
---|---|
Watsons | Health and beauty chain store |
AS Watson Group | Direct parent company and owner of Watsons |
CK Hutchison Holdings | Majority owner of AS Watson Group |
This structure illustrates that while AS Watson Group directly manages and operates the Watsons brand, the ultimate controlling interest lies with CK Hutchison Holdings, making it the de facto owner of the Watsons chain.