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Audax, the parent company of bookstores Bruna and ReadShop, has been acquired by Dutch investment fund Lector Capital, which also plans to link a travel brand to the company in the long term.
Refined strategy
Last week, it was announced that the De Leeuw family, owners of the loss-making parent company of the Bruna and ReadShop retail chains, had sold the company to an investor, but the name of the new owner was not disclosed at the time. Now it’s clear: the company has been taken over by Lector Capital, a Dutch investment consortium of experienced entrepreneurs and investors with expertise in retail, travel, hospitality, real estate, and media & publishing, among other things.
With the new owner, the previously announced financial restructuring of Audax has been completed, according to the press release. This creates a stable basis for the next phase, which will focus on strengthening the core activities of retail, distribution, and publishing, combined with targeted investments in innovation and digitization. As part of this new phase, a travel brand will also be linked to Audax in the long term.
On behalf of Lector Capital, Paul Sies, a seasoned manager with experience in the travel and aviation sector, will join the Audax board as Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO). In this role, he will be responsible for implementing the refined strategy. “We have detailed plans for the future, focusing on innovation, digitization, and cross-pollination with other parts of our group. With this, we want to breathe new life into the various business units and make Audax even more relevant and attractive to consumers,” said Sies.
