Debenhams clinches equity raise after share price spook Retail Debenhams Group successfully closed its equity fundraise above its initial £35m target despite a stock market spook which saw its shares drop by 20 per cent. The fashion group, which recently rebranded from Boohoo Group, had pitched the equity raise as central to its turnaround from significant struggles in recent years. Debenhams Group, which owns [...]
Exclusive: RPC to lose Mike Ashley’s ‘rainmaker’ lawyer Legal City law firm RPC is set to lose one of its highest-billing lawyers, who represents the retail titan Mike Ashley. Long-term partner Jeremy Drew will leave the firm after nearly 20 years in the solicitor’s retail and commercial department, which he also co-led. The star lawyer has been a long-term adviser to Mike Ashley, the [...]
Mike Ashley confronts Asos board in latest retail row Retail Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group voted against resolutions at online fashion retailer Asos’s general meeting, sparking fears that the high street magnate could prompt further disruptions at listed companies. Various company resolutions were passed by Asos on Friday afternoon but Ashley looked to spoil the party with disruptive votes in meetings, it has been reported. The [...]
Frasers Group chairman urges Unite to avoid ‘reckless’ strike October 3, 2025 The chairman of retail giant Frasers Group has urged Unite the Union to avoid “reckless and irresponsible” strike action as retail firms across the UK feel the crunch of rising cost pressures. Sir Jonathan Thompson, who took the role of Chair in September, has asked the Union’s General Secretary Sharon Graham to reconsider plans to [...]
Profit slashed at Mike Ashley-backed Hugo Boss September 10, 2025 Profit at the UK arm of Hugo Boss, which counts Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group as a major shareholder, has been slashed for a second consecutive year. The London-headquartered division of the German group has posted a pre-tax profit of £9m for 2024, down from the £16.8m it achieved in 2023 and £30.4m in 2022. New [...]
Mike Ashley’s investments double to £1bn thanks to Hugo Boss shares July 17, 2025 The total value of the stakes Mike Ashley’s empire holds in the likes of Hugo Boss, AO World and Boohoo have doubled to £1bn in just over a year, it has been revealed. According to the group’s latest financial results, which have been filed with the London Stock Exchange, the value of its investments in [...]
Mike Ashley tightens grip on Hugo Boss amid dividend demand July 4, 2025 Frasers Group, the retail empire controlled by billionaire Mike Ashley, has tightened its grip on Hugo Boss after upping its stake. The owner of Sports Direct and House of Fraser has increased its shareholding in the German giant to in excess off 32 per cent. In a statement, Frasers Group said it “continues to consider [...]
Frasers to launch Sports Direct in Australia and New Zealand April 15, 2025 Frasers will enter into a long-term agreement with wholesaler Accent Group to launch Sports Direct across Australia and New Zealand in the next step in its international growth plans. The 25-year partnership aims to rollout up to 100 Sports Direct stores across the region, which would boost the total number of Sports Direct stores by [...]
Hornby: Mike Ashley-backed toymaker announces plans to go private March 13, 2025 Hornby, the international models and collectibles group advised by Mike Ashley, has announced plans to go private as it looks to sidestep regulatory hurdles and cut costs. The firm told markets Thursday it intends to strike its shares off London’s AIM stock exchange, citing regulatory burdens, limited liquidity and the high cost of maintaining a [...]
Jack Wills: Job cuts continue as fashion brand halves in size February 5, 2025 Profit has continued to fall at fashion brand Jack Wills, which is owned by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group, as more jobs were cut and stores closed during its latest financial year. The company’s headcount reduced from 233 to 135 in the 12 months to 28 April, 2024, while it went from running 32 shops to [...]