Missguided founder's 'great sadness' at leaving as 63 jobs cut at Manchester firm

The founder of Manchester-based Missguided has revealed his "great sadness" at stepping down as chief executive as 63 jobs were cut at the iconic clothing firm.

News that Nitin Passi was leaving his role at the company was announced today, at the same time as the firm said they were scrapping 63 jobs and appointing consulting firm Teneo to "explore strategic options for the business".

Mr Passi founded Missguided in 2009, selling a 50 per cent stake of the Trafford-based firm to Alteri Investors towards the end of 2021. According to BusinessLive, the London-based investor, which is backed by private equity giant Apollo Global Management, also has stakes in Lancashire-based Bensons for Beds.

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Teneo recently led the sale of Studio Retail Group to Mike Ashley's Frasers Group after it had fallen into administration. Writing on LinkedIn, Mr Passi said: "When I set up Missguided back in 2009 with a small loan from my family, I had no idea about how impactful the brand would become.

"In a little over 13 years, working alongside some of the most talented people in fashion, we’ve created a business that has had real traction. We serve almost 4 million customers in over 120 countries worldwide.

"We’ve been a social media pioneer, creating a loyal following of over 10 million fans worldwide, and our marketing at times has been nothing short of legendary. And while the numbers are remarkable, more importantly, we’ve used the platform we’ve created to champion women, inspiring them through the fashion we provide, to be themselves and achieve whatever they want.

"That said, it won’t take me to tell you that the last year has been