Boohoo’s Debenhams rebranding in danger amid Ashley row

Makes an attempt by Boohoo Group, the web trend retailer, to vary its London-listed holding firm’s title to Debenhams have been on a knife-edge on Thursday night after the retail billionaire Mike Ashley moved to dam the proposal.

Sky Information has learnt that Frasers Group, the corporate majority-owned by Mr Ashley, has voted its 27% stake in opposition to a decision that might permit the name-change to happen.

Jersey-incorporated Boohoo wants two-thirds of voting shareholders to approve the decision at a basic assembly scheduled to happen on Friday morning.

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If it fails to safe the required majority, Boohoo could be compelled to retain its current plc title – which one supply described as “a technicality”.

Boohoo already owns and operates the Debenhams model, which collapsed into administration throughout the Covid pandemic and which the corporate says has been reworked right into a profitable on-line market mannequin.

Frasers and Boohoo have been at loggerheads for months, with Mr Ashley attempting, and failing, to get himself appointed to his rival’s board.

He has accused Boohoo of “gross mismanagement”, pointing to the collapse in its share worth over the past 5 years.

In return, Boohoo has argued that Mr Ashley is searching for to achieve management of the corporate with out making a traditional takeover provide, and that appointing him as a director could be untenable.

Boohoo has agreed to nominate another, impartial candidate as a consultant of its greatest shareholder as a substitute.

Frasers and Boohoo declined to remark.