Connect with us

Fashion

Investment group Carlyle takes control of Very Group from Barclay family

Published

on

Investment group Carlyle takes control of Very Group from Barclay family


Published



November 10, 2025

The Very Group is under new ownership. The former Shop Direct, which owns Very and the legacy Littlewoods e-tail businesses, is now controlled by its major lender, global investment firm Carlyle. Another lender, Abu Dhabi-based media group IMI, is continuing as “a key stakeholder”.

Very.co.uk

The company said it’s “a positive outcome for The Very Group, providing it with a strengthened capital base and enhanced financial flexibility to support investment in its long-term growth plans”. 

It also “underscores Carlyle and IMI’s confidence in The Very Group, its management team, leading brand position, strategy and long-term growth potential, having supported the business since 2021”.

Carlyle and IMI will now “support the company’s management team to continue to deliver against its strategic priorities, including driving innovation and leveraging technology and data to improve its customer offering”.

It means the former owners, the Barclay family, will no longer have any involvement in the business after controlling it for over 20 years. It’s been in control during the period in which Very Group morphed from a traditional catalogue-based retailer to one of the UK’s biggest online business. 

Very Group, which is chaired by Nadhim Zahawi, the former Conservative Chancellor, has annual revenues of over £2 billion and it serves 4.4 million customers.

The Barclay family had tried to sell the business before and while no information was given about the value of the latest transaction, one report speculated on a valuation of around £2.5 billion, which is less than the Barclays had previously hoped for.

The family has lost control of a number of its businesses in recent periods after struggling to pay off major loans. Carlyle and IMI first became involved with Very earlier this decade as they lent major sums to the group.

But Very itself is believed to be in good financial shape. Last month it reported results for the year to June and while they included a pre-tax loss of £505.4 million, that was caused by a write-down of an inter-company loan made to the Barclay family’s holding company as lenders prepared to take over the business.

Other figures were more positive with an increase in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of 15.9% to £307.1 million and an adjusted EBITDA margin that rose to 14.7% from 12.5%. That was the highest earnings margin it has ever achieved. While revenue dipped slightly, its focus on more profitable sales was what boosted the margin.

On Monday, Very CEO Robbie Feather said the new ownership deal “marks an important milestone for The Very Group as we move into an exciting new phase of growth. We are delighted to continue to partner with Carlyle and IMI. Their continued backing provides us with a stronger foundation to execute on our strategy, increase investment in technology and the customer experience, and to build on the momentum across the business”.

Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Fashion

US’ Gap Inc. president & CEO Richard Dickson to be honoured by FIT

Published

on

US’ Gap Inc. president & CEO Richard Dickson to be honoured by FIT



The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) announces that Richard Dickson, president and chief executive officer of Gap Inc., will be the guest of honor at the FIT Annual Gala on April 14, 2026. Hosted at the historic Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, the evening will celebrate Dickson’s transformative career, from revitalizing global icons at Mattel to ushering in a new era of American style at Gap Inc.

This year’s gala theme, Threads of Impact, underscores the shared vision of FIT and Gap Inc. and recognizes Dickson’s legacy of brand reinvigoration, highlighting his career-long dedication to treating creativity as both a cultural force and a business imperative.

The Fashion Institute of Technology will honour Richard Dickson, president and CEO of Gap Inc., at its Annual Gala on April 14, 2026, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City.
Celebrating his brand transformation leadership at Gap Inc. and Mattel, the event supports the FIT Foundation, which awarded over $3 million in scholarships in 2025.

“Gap Inc. is a house of iconic American brands guided by our purpose — to bridge gaps to create a better world. That includes bridging the opportunity gap. FIT embodies that same spirit, bringing education and industry together to unlock talent and expand what’s possible. We’re committed to opening doors, investing in emerging creatives, and building meaningful pathways into this industry for the next generation,” said Richard Dickson, President and CEO, Gap Inc. “I’m truly honored by this recognition and proud to champion the students and future leaders who will shape what’s next in design and fashion.”

“We are thrilled to celebrate Richard Dickson at FIT’s Annual Gala, in recognition of his remarkable achievements and leadership,” said FIT President Jason S. Schupbach. “Richard’s commitment to empowering the next generation reflects the heart of our mission—and inspires the entire FIT community. We are grateful for his generous support, as his work affirms what FIT has always shown: that when industry and education work as one, they are the catalyst for real-world change that shifts our culture.”

Dickson was appointed president and CEO of Gap Inc. in July 2023 and leads the company’s portfolio of iconic American brands, including Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta. Before stepping into this role, he was the president and chief operating officer of Mattel, where he was a lead architect in a global corporate transformation that reinvigorated Mattel’s storied brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, and Fisher-Price, re-enforcing Mattel as a key industry leader and cultural cornerstone. He also served as executive producer of the Barbie movie. While at Mattel, Dickson was appointed to the Gap Inc. Board of Directors in November 2022.

Under his leadership, Gap Inc. is progressing into one of the most celebrated companies in fashion, where purpose and profit are aligned to matter, creating positive impacts for people and the planet. Throughout his career, Dickson has been a committed champion of this belief, earning recognition including The Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award and the Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose Force for Good Award.

The FIT Annual Gala, attended by distinguished guests and alumni from the fashion and creative industries, benefits the FIT Foundation, which is dedicated to uplifting the next generation of FIT students. In addition to facilitating programs and developing new initiatives, the Foundation provided scholarships totaling more than $3 million in 2025.

Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)



Source link

Continue Reading

Fashion

Thailand’s Indorama Ventures’ revenue, profit decline in 2025

Published

on

Thailand’s Indorama Ventures’ revenue, profit decline in 2025



Indorama Ventures Limited has reported total revenue of THB 467.3 billion (~$14.95 billion) on a trailing twelve months (TTM) basis through December 31, 2025, reflecting a continued moderation compared with prior years. Revenue stood at THB 541.6 billion (~$17.33 billion) in 2024 and THB 541.5 billion (~$17.33 billion) in 2023, while the company recorded significantly higher revenue of THB 656.3 billion (~$21.00 billion) in 2022. In 2021, revenue totalled THB 468.1 billion (~$14.98 billion), broadly in line with the latest TTM level.

Cost of revenue amounted to THB 409.1 billion (~$13.09 billion) on a TTM basis, compared with THB 466.3 billion (~$14.92 billion) in 2024 and THB 476.0 billion (~$15.23 billion) in 2023. Costs were notably higher in 2022 at THB 544.3 billion (~$17.42 billion), before easing to THB 382.9 billion (~$12.25 billion) in 2021, the group said in a press release.

Indorama reported TTM revenue of THB 467.3 billion (~$14.95 billion), down from recent years and well below the 2022 peak.
Gross profit fell to THB 58.2 billion (~$1.86 billion), reflecting continued margin pressure.
As of December 31, 2025, current liabilities exceeded current assets, with management maintaining liquidity through cash reserves, credit facilities and short-term debt rollovers.

Gross profit reached THB 58.2 billion (~$1.86 billion) over the TTM period, down from THB 75.3 billion (~$2.41 billion) in 2024 and THB 65.4 billion (~$2.09 billion) in 2023. Gross profit peaked at THB 111.9 billion (~$3.58 billion) in 2022 and stood at THB 85.2 billion (~$2.73 billion) in 2021.

At 31 December 2025, the group’s current liabilities exceeded current assets. To ensure funding needs and mitigate liquidity risks for the foreseeable future, the management continually monitors the group liquidity risk and implements procedures, including maintaining a sufficient level of cash and cash equivalents deemed adequate to finance the group’s operations, rolling forecasting the group’s unutilised credit facilities, and rollover of the short-term borrowing.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)



Source link

Continue Reading

Fashion

Retech to showcase precision godet technology at Techtextil 2026

Published

on

Retech to showcase precision godet technology at Techtextil 2026



RETECH designs and manufactures godets and draw frames for heated, ambient and cooled processes, enabling precise heat treatment and consistently high yarn quality for a wide range of polymers and applications, with process temperatures of up to 400°C for high-performance fibers. The company’s key competence lies in exact and stable temperature and speed control, individually adapted to the specific material and process requirements.

Advanced induction heating concepts, available in single-zone or multi-zone configurations, ensure highly accurate temperature profiles and excellent temperature uniformity over the entire godet surface, precisely influencing yarn properties such as tenacity, elongation, and shrinkage to achieve a highly consistent final product.

Retecch develops precision godets and draw frames for heated, ambient and cooled fibre processes up to 400°C.
Its advanced induction heating ensures uniform temperature control, optimising yarn tenacity, elongation and shrinkage.
Energy-efficient systems, robust design and the UTR-6A non-contact monitoring solution support reliability, machine uptime and sustainable production.

Energy efficiency and long-term reliability are key elements of the RETECH godet concept. Energy-optimised heating systems and efficient drive solutions are combined with a robust mechanical design to achieve extended service life and maximum machine availability.

The proven non-contact temperature measuring and transmission system UTR-6A continuously captures temperature data directly from the rotating godet and transfers it to the UCR-6 controller for regulation. This enables preventive measures to protect the godet, bearing system and induction heater, while ensuring stable production conditions and supporting the sustainability of the overall fibre manufacturing process.

Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (MS)



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending