// Anya Hindmarch back at the helm of her luxury handbag brand and retailer
// Founder returns to the top job eight years after stepping down. She served the board since then
// She will assume role of managing director after entrepreneurs acquired Anya Handmarch in March
Anya Hindmarch has returned to the helm of her eponymous luxury handbag and accessories retailer, eight years after stepping down as chief executive.
The news comes just over a month after the business had a change of ownership, when Qatar-based Mayhoola For Investments sold its controlling stake of 75 per cent to the Marandi family in an undisclosed deal.
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Under the new owners, Anya Hindmarch herself was to remain on the board and as creative director of the label – a role she has been in since she stepped down as chief executive.
She has now assumed the new role of managing director, effectively replacing chief executive Antoine Bejui who left the brand last month.
Hindmarch said she was going to focus on “turning around the business” to make it “future proof” after a tough few years.
Mayhoola had put Anya Hindmarch up for sale earlier this year amid widening losses in its trading performance.
In 2017, sales were at £37.2 million in 2017, while it made an EBITDA loss of £17 million.
Anya Hindmarch reportedly reduced losses since then after it closed down eight stores in the UK and Japan and revamped its sourcing and marketing.
The Marandi family has interests in Emilia Wickstead, Wed2be and Soho House.
Mayhoola, the Qatari royal family’s fund, had initially spent £27 million for a 39.9 per cent stake in Anya Hindmarch in 2012.
It spent another £20 million to raise it to 75 per cent last year.
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