SINGAPORE: British billionaire James Dyson, the inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner, and his wife are selling their three-storey Singapore penthouse about a year after buying it for a reported S$74 million.
The price tag was the highest ever for a penthouse in the affluent financial hub.
The property sits on the top floors of the 64-storey, 290-metre high Guoco Tower, which is in the business district and has panoramic views over the city, including popular waterfront area Marina Bay.
"An offer has been accepted on the Wallich penthouse," said a spokesman for Dyson's firm. He declined further comment on the family's personal properties or affairs but said Dyson would continue to maintain a home in the wealthy Asian city-state.
Despite the sale, the spokesman said "Dyson remains fully committed to expanding its research and development footprint and other operations in Singapore".
The Business Times newspaper, which first reported the sale, said an offer of S$62 million (RM189 million) was accepted for the penthouse, or a drop of more than 15% from Dysons' purchase price.
The apartment, which has a 600-bottle wine cellar, dedicated butler service, pool, jacuzzi, and a private garden with city views, was once valued at S$100 million, making it the city-state's most expensive penthouse.
The buyer is Indonesian-born tycoon Leo Koguan, the paper said. The US citizen is chairman and co-founder of infotech provider SHI International, which counts Boeing and AT&T among its 20,000 customers, business magazine Forbes says.
The Dysons' other home in Singapore is a luxury property on a plot of land with an infinity pool and an indoor waterfall.
The billionaire has moved his company's head office to Singapore from Britain to be closer to its fastest-growing markets. Last year, he scrapped plans to build an electric car in Singapore as not being commercially viable.
Since announcing the move of his company's headquarters to Singapore last year, Dyson has made headlines by going on a property-buying spree.
Just weeks after snapping up the city-state's priciest penthouse, he bought another luxurious house for S$45 million, which faces the Unesco-listed Botanic Gardens and features an infinity pool.
The company's move to Singapore prompted fury in Britain that the tycoon – a vocal Brexit backer – was not investing more in British manufacturing.
The firm – famous for its bagless vacuum cleaners – abandoned plans to produce electric cars last year, saying the project was not commercially viable. Its first vehicle plant was to be located in Singapore. – Reuters, AFP
