Michael Ashley

Michael James Wallace Ashley is a British billionaire retail entrepreneur in the sporting goods market, and the chief executive of Sports Direct. He entered the department store industry following the acquisition of House of Fraser following administration in 2018.

  • Michael Ashley is founder and CEO of the U.K.’s largest sporting goods retailer Sports Direct.
  • Ashley started Sports Direct in 1982 when he was 18 years old; the company now has over 700 stores.
  • He has acquired dozens of companies, including boxing glove maker Everlast, Wimbledon supplier Lillywhites and department store House of Fraser.
  • The company went public in 2007, with Ashley pocketing $1.8 billion from the IPO. That same year, he bought famed soccer club Newcastle United.
  • Only a year later, he tried to sell the team, citing heavy debts. He is still trying to get rid of Newcastle.

Michael Ashley Sports Direct