So in colaboration with Subtraction Records
Tokyo/Osaka
Spring 2025
Organizational Structure of Soho House & Co
Ownership and Governance
Ownership:
Soho House is a publicly traded company (since July 2021) under the name Membership Collective Group (MCG), listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Major shareholders include:
Ron Burkle (via Yucaipa investment fund), owning approximately 60% as of 2012.
Richard Caring (restaurateur, Caprice Holdings), holding 30%.
Nick Jones (founder), retaining 10%.
Together, Burkle, Caring, and Jones control over 70% of shares, giving them significant influence despite public status.
A board special committee evaluates strategic transactions, including potential moves to take the company private, indicating active governance oversight.
Board of Directors:
Includes Nick Jones (founder, board member since inception) and other undisclosed members.
The board oversees major decisions, such as expansion, financial strategy, and responses to investor concerns (e.g., countering short-seller reports).
Executive Leadership
Chief Executive Officer (CEO):
Andrew Carnie (since November 2022), previously President (2020–2022) and Chief Commercial Officer (2019–2020). Oversees global operations, expansion, and member experience improvements.
Nick Jones (founder) stepped down as CEO in 2022 due to a cancer diagnosis but remains a board member and influential figure.
Other Key Executives:
While specific roles like CFO or COO are not detailed in the sources, Carnie’s prior role as Chief Commercial Officer suggests a structure with standard C-suite positions (e.g., finance, operations, marketing) to manage global operations.
The company employs forensic accounting and legal firms to support executive decisions, indicating robust financial and compliance oversight.
Operational Divisions
Soho House operates as a global membership platform with physical and digital spaces, organized around its core offerings. The structure likely includes functional departments to support these divisions:
Membership and Community Management:
Manages member acquisition, retention, and experience for ~194,000 members (as of 2023) across 42 clubs worldwide.
Membership teams at each House handle local applications, guest policies, and events, with a global membership manager coordinating “Every House” access.
Focus on creative industries, with selective criteria prioritizing “creative souls” over corporate types.
House Operations:
Each of the 42 Soho Houses (as of March 2024) operates semi-autonomously with local management teams responsible for:
Club Spaces: Lounges, restaurants, bars, screening rooms, and performance venues (e.g., music rooms, theaters).
Amenities: Gyms, spas (Cowshed brand), pools, and workspaces (Soho Works).
Bedrooms: Boutique hotel accommodations, available to members and non-members via platforms like Michelin Guide.
Events: Screenings, performances, and member events (e.g., Soho Skates party, chef competitions).
Local House managers report to regional or global operations leads, ensuring consistency across properties.
Design and Development:
An in-house design team (~50 in the U.S., ~100 in London, including construction staff) oversees the aesthetic and functional development of Houses, ensuring each reflects local culture and history.
Led by figures like Candas Campos (U.S. Design Director), the team sources vintage decor and customizes interiors organically, distinct from typical hospitality projects.
Responsible for Soho Home, the interiors brand launched in 2016, with a flagship store in Chelsea (2021).
Culinary and Hospitality:
Manages restaurants (e.g., Cecconi’s, Pen Yen), bars, and catering across Houses, with a focus on local and high-quality offerings (e.g., Italian-inspired Pacific Northwest fare in Portland).
Culinary competitions and chef-led events (e.g., Senegalese feast at Soho Farmhouse) indicate a dedicated food and beverage team.
Likely overseen by a global culinary director, with local chefs and managers at each House.
Spa and Wellness:
Operates Cowshed spas in larger Houses (e.g., Chicago, Berlin) and Soho Health Clubs with gyms and holistic wellness programs.
Managed by specialized wellness staff, with personal trainers and spa managers at each location.
Marketing and Content:
Handles branding, member communications, and digital channels (e.g., SH.APP, Soho House website).
Produces editorial content and marketing for events, memberships, and Soho Home products.
Enforces strict policies on member use of Soho House trademarks and photography to maintain exclusivity.
Finance and Investor Relations:
Manages revenues from membership fees, in-house offerings (food, beverage, accommodations), and retail (Soho Home).
Reports to investors post-IPO, with a focus on addressing financial concerns like high leverage and pre-tax losses (~$73M expected in 2023).
Supported by external forensic accounting and legal firms to counter short-seller criticisms.
Human Resources and Careers:
Oversees recruitment and staff engagement across global Houses, with initiatives like annual football tournaments and chef competitions.
Maintains a careers page (careers.sohohouse.com) to attract talent in hospitality, culinary, and creative roles.
Regional and Global Coordination
Global Operations:
Headquartered in London, with significant U.S. operations (New York, Los Angeles).
Regional directors likely oversee clusters of Houses (e.g., North America, Europe, Asia), reporting to the CEO and executive team.
Global policies (e.g., House Rules, membership criteria) ensure consistency, while local Houses adapt to cultural contexts.
Contractual Structure:
Members contract with the Soho House company closest to their designated address (e.g., Soho House CWH Limited for European Cities Without Houses members)
This suggests a decentralized legal structure with regional subsidiaries under the parent company, Membership Collective Group Inc.
Summary of Key Structural Elements
Top-Level: Board of Directors, major shareholders (Burkle, Caring, Jones), CEO (Andrew Carnie).
Executive Team: Likely includes CFO, COO, and heads of design, culinary, membership, and wellness.
Divisions: Membership, House Operations (club spaces, amenities, events), Design (interiors, Soho Home), Culinary, Spa/Wellness, Marketing, Finance, HR.
Local Operations: Each House has managers for club spaces, dining, events, and amenities, reporting to regional/global leads.
Global Reach: 42 Houses, managed through regional subsidiaries under Membership Collective Group Inc.
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Copyright © 2025 So. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2025 Subtraction Records. All Rights Reserved.
Subject: Fujita House
Project: Brand Development for Historical Site Reconstruction
Phase 3: Focus
Chapter 5: Organizational Structure (A case study)
The organizational structure of Soho House & Co (now officially Soho House & Co Inc.) is not explicitly detailed in public sources as a comprehensive hierarchy, but available information from web sources and their operational model provides insight into its leadership, ownership, and functional organization.
Below is a synthesized overview based on the provided references, focusing on key roles, governance, and operational divisions, tailored to the context of Osaka Arts Club.