N Brown

Today’s news in brief-22/4/25

Marks & Spencer has apologised to customers after a technical glitch disrupted contactless payments and click-and-collect services over the Bank Holiday weekend. Shoppers reported frustration at being unable to complete purchases, with some forced to abandon full trolleys. The issue also affected M&S’s email and chat systems, preventing advance customer…

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Today’s news in brief-10/3/25

WH Smith is nearing a decision on the sale of its high street business, with two bidders, Alteri Investors and Modello Capital, remaining in the race. The retailer, which has seen its Travel business outperform high street outlets, confirmed in January it was exploring strategic options, including a potential sale.…

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Matalan appoints former N-Brown executive as CCO

Matalan has announced the appointment of ex-N Brown chief executive Sarah Welsh as its new chief product, brand and commercial officer. Welsh brings 30 years of retail experience and has been N-Brown’s CEO for five years. During her tenure she was credited for transforming the group’s traditional catalogue offer to…

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Today’s news in brief-12/2/25

Kering, the luxury conglomerate behind Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and Bottega Veneta, reported a challenging fiscal 2024, with revenue falling 12% to €17.2 billion (£14.3 billion) and EBITDA plummeting 29% to €4.6 billion (£3.8 billion). Gucci’s 23% sales decline to €7.65 billion (£6.37 billion) significantly impacted the group, alongside a…

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Joshua Alliance completes £191m N Brown takeover

N Brown Group’s non-executive director and fourth-largest shareholder, Joshua Alliance, has announced the completion of the group’s £191m acquisition.  News of the deal will see the Alliance family, which already held a controlling stake, take the Jacamo and Simply Be owner private.  The cash acquisition was initially approved in October…

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N Brown appoints Clare Empson as chief customer operations officer

N Brown Group has revealed Clare Empson has been promoted to the newly created role of chief customer operations officer. Empson joined N Brown in January 2024 as director of supply chain and is expanding her remit to lead the customer operations domain. The newly created role of chief customer…

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Today’s news in brief-17/1/25

Retail sales in the UK fell by 0.3% in December, disappointing analysts who anticipated a 0.4% rise during the Christmas season. The decline, attributed to the poorest supermarket sales since 2013, was partly offset by a 4.4% rise in clothing sales. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that food…

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N Brown appoints Dene Jones as CEO of Retail

N Brown Group has announced the appointment of Dene Jones as the group’s new CEO of Retail. Jones will succeed Sarah Welsh, who last year confirmed her decision to leave the group after five years in post. He will commence his new role on 1 February 2025, leading N Brown’s…

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FCA approves N Brown’s £191m takeover

N Brown’s board of directors has confirmed that the FCA has given the go ahead for a £191m takeover deal that will see Joshua Alliance acquire the brand.  As previously announced on 17 October, Alliance will pay 40p in cash for each N Brown share.  The company already owns 6.6%…

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Today’s news in brief-21/10/24

Frasers Group has agreed to sell its 20.3% stake in N Brown for £191m to Falcon 24 Topco Limited, owned by Joshua Alliance. Despite divesting from N Brown, Frasers looks forward to a strategic relationship with Alliance. Concurrently, Frasers is pursuing the acquisition of luxury brand Mulberry, raising its offer…

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