PrettyLittleThing founder Umar Kamani steps down as CEO

The founder and chief executive officer of fast fashion chain PrettyLittleThing is stepping down. Umar Kamani, who founded the company together with his sibling Adam Kamani in 2012, is leaving the company after 12 years to pursue other projects and launch new brands.

The Manchester-based company, which is valued around 3.8 billion dollars, started life as a market stall selling handkerchiefs and towels.

In a statement Mr Kamani said: “After 12 years as CEO and Founder of PrettyLittleThing I have made the difficult decision to step down from my position as CEO. 12 amazing years that changed my life and I will be forever grateful for all those memories.”

“I’m at the stage in my life where I need to set myself new challenges and goals and build new brands that hopefully you all love and support as much as you did with this one.”

“When I first had the idea of setting up this brand, I could never have imagined what we would go on to achieve. Since our humble beginnings in 2012, PLT has gone on to eventually become one of the biggest fashion brands in the world.”

In 2020 Mr Kamani sold his 34 percent stake in the company to his father Mahmud Kamani, the executive chairman of fashion group Boohoo.