The Royal Group

The Royal Group is an investment and development conglomerate in Cambodia.[1] It was founded by Kith Meng in 1989.[2] The group has interests in a number of industries, including television, telecommunications and banking.[3] It has attracted foreign investment in Cambodia.[4]

History

The Royal Group was founded by Kith Meng as a general trading company operating out of Australia in 1989 with the name Royal Cambodia Co Ltd.[5] In 1990, The Royal Group of Companies was incorporated in the Kingdom of Cambodia.[6]

In the 1990s, The Royal Group established trading links with the government during the UNTAC administration.[7] The group established MobiTel and Royal Telecam through a joint venture with Millicom International Cellular.[8]

Between 2000 and 2010, The Royal Group among other milestones, established Cambodian Broadcasting Corporation, a terrestrial UHF television service trading under the brand CTN, through Modern Times Group.[9] The group also established ANZ Royal Bank through a partnership with Australia New Zealand Banking Group Limited.[10]

Between 2011 and 2020, The Royal Group among other milestones, acquired Wing, a mobile payment service provider.[11] In 2024, the group held the official launching of the Royal Group Exchange (RGX) which is currently Cambodia's first approved Securities Digital Products trading platform.[12][13]

Controversies

The Royal Group is one of several stakeholders in hydroelectric projects in Cambodia that have faced significant criticism for environmental concerns.[14][15] These issues include illegal logging in protected areas,[16] displacement of Indigenous communities, destruction of rural villages, and damage to fishing grounds, all of which occurred without proper environmental assessment reports.[14][17] Villagers had expressed concerns about speaking up due to the prominence of the project, with some fearing retaliation.[14] The Royal Group's land concessions in Botum Sakor National Park led to land clearing and land disputes with local communities.[18]

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