WHP Global, a global brand management firm, has received a $375 million equity investment from funds managed by the private equity group of Ares Management Corporation providing significant growth capital for WHP Global’s next wave of brand acquisitions. The transaction values WHP Global at $1.6 billion.
Founded in 2019 by retail industry veteran Yehuda Shmidman together with funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, WHP Global’s portfolio of brands generates more than $6.5 billion in global retail sales across three verticals including: Fashion anchored by Express, Anne Klein, and Joseph Abboud; Hardgoods anchored by Toys’R Us and Babies’R Us; and Athletic anchored by Lotto.
“WHP Global has experienced record-setting growth since its founding in 2019, and this new significant investment from Ares gives us a powerful edge to capitalize on today’s robust M&A market as we chart the course for our next phase of growth,” said Yehuda Shmidman, chairman