As founders of the UK arm retire, Kosmos buys final stake in Thames & Kosmos UK, calling it a “central pillar” of its international business
Kosmos has taken full control of its UK distribution arm Thames & Kosmos UK, following the retirement of founding directors Stephen O’Connor and Joanna Drage.
The move marks a significant structural shift for the publisher’s operations in the British market, now helmed by Operations Director Emma Hanlon and Sales & Marketing Director Andrew Morris.
“Stephen and Joanna established the business in 2009 as Science Shop, building it into a key UK distributor for hobby games, educational kits and STEM lines”
Stephen and Joanna established the business in 2009 as Science Shop, building it into a key UK distributor for hobby games, educational kits and STEM lines. Kosmos acquired an 80 per cent stake in 2013, with the latest buyout bringing the operation fully in-house and formalising its role within the publisher’s international sales network. The UK subsidiary now becomes a central pillar of Kosmos’ export strategy, with the company highlighting Britain as a core territory for continued category expansion and brand penetration.
From a trade perspective, the move is expected to streamline supply chains, strengthen publisher-to-retailer alignment and allow tighter coordination on product launches, marketing campaigns and inventory planning within the UK market.
Under Stephen and Joanna, Thames & Kosmos UK played a significant role in establishing Kosmos brands within educational retail and STEM-focused channels. The distributor also expanded its offering into British hobby and specialist retail sectors, particularly with the Exit escape-room game range, building a diversified customer base across independent game stores, bookshops, museums and educational suppliers.
Looking ahead, the UK operation is expected to prioritise deeper market penetration of existing product categories while supporting new launches and localisation efforts. Upcoming releases include further titles in the Exit line, which has surpassed 30 million units sold globally, alongside new strategy and family games aimed at broadening shelf presence across specialist and mainstream retail.
The ownership transition comes amid steady growth in the UK tabletop sector, with continued strength reported across hobby retail, educational toy channels and experiential game formats.
With a locally led management team and fully integrated ownership structure, Thames & Kosmos UK is positioned to play an expanded role in driving Kosmos’ long-term growth within one of Europe’s most mature board-game markets.
