SINGAPORE — Zouk is set to get a new owner after announcing today (Oct 21) that Genting Hong Kong (GHK) will be stepping in to acquire the iconic club by the fourth quarter of this year.

GHK will be acquiring Zouk’s major trademarks, the new Zouk Club scheduled to open next year at Clarke Quay and the annual dance music festival ZoukOut. Zouk’s Kuala Lumpur club is excluded from the terms of agreement.

“Zouk is a brilliant example of a local Singapore brand that has not only achieved worldwide status and recognition in the global club scene, but has truly evolved into a subculture of its own for generations of trend-setters in Asia,” says Andrew Li, GHK’s vice-president for lifestyle and F&B concepts, said the media release.

“As Genting Hong Kong continues to expand its reach in attracting a younger and more lifestyle-driven clientele, we are confident that the addition of such an iconic institution will further complement and enhance the company’s brands and offerings across the region,” he added.

Zouk founder Lincoln Cheng said: “Zouk, a world-class brand, as all along had ambitions to expand beyond Singapore and Malaysia. Genting Hong Kong will take the Zouk brand further and to greater heights, together with the existing Zouk Singapore team, mapping its footprint out of Singapore and Malaysia, and into the future.”

Cheng, who set up the club in 1991, will be relinquishing Zouk Singapore but will remain as the non-executive chairperson of the Kuala Lumpur club.

The Singapore club will operate under the leadership of newly-appointed managing director Benny Heng, who was the club’s long-time general manager.

GHK, which also operates Star Cruises, is expected to push for the expansion of the Zouk brand in the region. As a prelude, its beach club cruise concept onboard Star Cruises, Beatship, will be collaborating with Zouk Kuala Lumpur for an on-shore music event on Friday at the KL Live indoor arena.