Latest news with #WillemBlijdorp
Arabian Post
2 days ago
- Business
- Arabian Post
Willem Blijdorp: Building a Global Business Empire
Willem Blijdorp initially set his sights on a career in tourism. From 1970 to 1975, he studied at the Hotel Management School in Maastricht, the Netherlands. However, upon graduation, he chose an unexpected path. He decided to become the organizer of the now-legendary 'Butterfahrten'. This marked the beginning of an entrepreneurial journey that continues to this day. The Butterfahrt Concept During a business trip to Germany, Blijdorp was struck by how popular Butterfahrten were among Dutch tourists. These day trips involved boarding a ship that quickly sailed beyond national waters. Once in international territory, passengers could shop duty-free to their heart's content. ADVERTISEMENT Sensing a unique opportunity, Blijdorp introduced the concept to the Dutch market in 1975. Operating out of Eemshaven, he launched daily Butterfahrten for Dutch tourists. Blijdorp's success lay in offering more than just tax-free shopping. His cruises delivered a memorable experience, blending commerce with entertainment. Passengers were encouraged to shop, but they also enjoyed a full day of games, music, quizzes, and small lotteries. This unique combination of retail and entertainment struck a chord with the Dutch public. In 1976, Blijdorp began working part-time for shipping company Kamstra, whose mini-cruises were booming. That same year, he received a full-time offer from Marriott Hotels in the United States. Simultaneously, Kamstra also offered him a permanent role. Although he originally intended to pursue a career in the hotel industry, he took the leap into entrepreneurship. On the condition that he could acquire shares in the company, he accepted Kamstra's offer and came on board full-time. Blijdorp's talent for business soon became evident. He built strong relationships with German suppliers, securing exclusive deals available only to Butterfahrt passengers. These arrangements not only kept customers coming back but also laid the groundwork for his later venture: B&S. The Rise of B&S In 1985 Blijdorp founded B&S, a company focused on the distribution of duty-free products. What began as a clever cruise concept soon transformed into a serious business. While the European unification brought significant economic advantages, it also marked the end of duty-free sales within the EU. As a result, the Butterfahrten ceased in 1999. Nevertheless, B&S remained focused on the duty-free market, which meant that B&S continued to grow. What began as modest boat trips from Eemshaven evolved into a global tax-free distribution empire. The experience, relationships, and business acumen developed during the Butterfahrten years became the foundation of B&S's growth into a market leader. Expanding the Business Today, he is also an active investor with a particular interest in startups and social ventures. He is involved in companies such as Mercatum Medical Care – a medical wholesaler, SocialDatabase – a data-driven marketing platform, and Advion -a distributor of cleaning and sanitary addition, he is committed to social initiatives like the Papageno House, a residence that supports children with autism. He also contributes to international projects that provide clean water and sanitation in underserved communities, such as those in Ghana. Also published on Medium. Notice an issue? Arabian Post strives to deliver the most accurate and reliable information to its readers. If you believe you have identified an error or inconsistency in this article, please don't hesitate to contact our editorial team at editor[at]thearabianpost[dot]com. We are committed to promptly addressing any concerns and ensuring the highest level of journalistic integrity.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
With 67% ownership, B&S Group S.A. (AMS:BSGR) insiders have a lot at stake
Insiders appear to have a vested interest in B&S Group's growth, as seen by their sizeable ownership 67% of the company is held by a single shareholder (Willem Blijdorp) Past performance of a company along with ownership data serve to give a strong idea about prospects for a business A look at the shareholders of B&S Group S.A. (AMS:BSGR) can tell us which group is most powerful. With 67% stake, individual insiders possess the maximum shares in the company. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company. So, insiders of B&S Group have a lot at stake and every decision they make on the company's future is important to them from a financial point of view. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about B&S Group. View our latest analysis for B&S Group Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices. Since institutions own only a small portion of B&S Group, many may not have spent much time considering the stock. But it's clear that some have; and they liked it enough to buy in. If the business gets stronger from here, we could see a situation where more institutions are keen to buy. When multiple institutional investors want to buy shares, we often see a rising share price. The past revenue trajectory (shown below) can be an indication of future growth, but there are no guarantees. Our data indicates that hedge funds own 5.5% of B&S Group. That worth noting, since hedge funds are often quite active investors, who may try to influence management. Many want to see value creation (and a higher share price) in the short term or medium term. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is Willem Blijdorp with 67% of shares outstanding. This implies that they have majority interest control of the future of the company. JNE Partners LLP is the second largest shareholder owning 5.5% of common stock, and Mondrian Investment Partners Limited holds about 2.7% of the company stock. Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. While there is some analyst coverage, the company is probably not widely covered. So it could gain more attention, down the track. The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it. Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group. It seems that insiders own more than half the B&S Group S.A. stock. This gives them a lot of power. That means they own €244m worth of shares in the €363m company. That's quite meaningful. Most would be pleased to see the board is investing alongside them. You may wish todiscover (for free) if they have been buying or selling. The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 22% stake in B&S Group. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies. I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Take risks for example - B&S Group has 2 warning signs (and 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable) we think you should know about. Ultimately the future is most important. You can access this free report on analyst forecasts for the company. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
