The former private secretary for Prince Andrew, Amanda Thirsk, is working on Chinese retail giant JD.com’s potential bid for Currys.
Thirsk, who stepped down as Prince Andrew’s private secretary in 2020, is currently working in a senior business development role at JD.com, according to Sky News.
The former aide is thought to have been working with the ecommerce behemoth for much of the time since leaving the palace.
Thirsk also stepped down as chief executive of the prince’s flagship business venture Pitch@Palace shortly after quitting as his private secretary.
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Sources have claimed she is now playing a key role in JD.com’s evaluation of a potential bid for Currys.
The Chinese ecommerce company has yet to submit a formal offer for Currys and has been issued a mid-March deadline to do so by The Takeover Panel.
The update comes after Currys’ largest shareholder supported the board’s decision to reject an initial takeover offer from Elliott Advisors last week, claiming the offer “highlighted a wider problem with the UK equity market”.
Redwheel, which owns 14.6% of shares, said it was in “complete agreement” with the board over its decision to reject the £700m bid from the Waterstones owner last week.
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