Jardines has survived wars and market collapses. Can it survive the digital age?
For investors, a flood of rumours over the sale of assets – including properties, fast-food chains and car dealerships – can be disconcerting
[SINGAPORE] With a history spanning nearly two centuries tracing back to its roots as an opium trading house, Jardine Matheson has survived empires, wars and market collapses.
But can a venerable hong whose origins predate the modern corporate era survive the digital economy and fast-moving technological disruption?
Over the decades, Jardines has diversified into industries such as retail, motor vehicles, real estate and financial services. And it is currently undergoing a structural overhaul, shifting away from its traditional owner-operator model to become a return-focused investment company.