LK Bennett appoints advisers to examine options including a sale
Premium footwear and fashion chain LK Bennett has appointed Alix Partners to investigate strategic options for the business including a possible sale.
The news, reported by Sky News, comes 18 months after the chain's founder Linda Bennett regained full control of the business.
While a sale is by no means a certainty the news outlet reports that there is a "realistic prospect" Bennett would be willing to sell at least part of the firm.
LK Bennett was founded with a store in Wimbledon in 1990 and Bennett went on to become known as one of British business's most successful female entrepreneurs.
Bennett sold the business to Phoenix Equity Partners and Sirius Equity in 2008 for a reported £100m but had remained a major shareholder. In early 2017 she was drafted back into the business by then CEO Darren Topp as a consultant and later that same year she bought the business back from its PE backers.
Topp, who had previously been CEO at BHS, left the business in March of 2018 and went on to chair retail recruitment consultancy Retail Executives. He was replaced by former Thomas Pink CEO Erica Vikauls.
The chain has 200 outlets in the UK and overseas and in the year ended 29 July 2017, figures show the business recorded an operating loss of £5.9m
