Philip Day

Philip Day - Billionaires, Birthday and Childhood

Violet FieldHome › BritishPhilip DayJanuary 1, 1965542 views

0 based on 0 rates
Philip Day Biography Stories 

Philip Day's Personal Details

Philip Day is a famous British entrepreneur

InformationDetail
BirthdayJanuary 1, 1965
NationalityBritish
FamousBusiness People, Retailers, Billionaires
SpousesDebra Day
Known asPhilip Edward Day
Birth PlaceGreater Manchester, England
GenderMale
Net Worth£1.05 billion (April 2016)
Sun SignLibra
Born inGreater Manchester, England
Famous asBritish Billionaire

Philip Day's photo

Who is Philip Day?

Philip Day is a famous British entrepreneur who has turned Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group into one of UK's most successful fashion brands, and one of the largest employers on the high street. The group now employs more than 23,000 people across the UK. Born to a working-class family in Greater Manchester, he grew up on a council estate where he saw how difficult it was for his parents and friends’ parents to find jobs – something that would end up guiding his future career and business strategy. He was drawn into business because of its ability to create jobs and improve people's lives. Although not much is known about his childhood, he clearly wanted to create a better life for himself and his family, and held down a number of part-time jobs while at school and is said to have done newspaper rounds as a young boy. Starting from the lowest rung of the retail ladder, he went on to become Managing Director of global fashion-brand Aquascutum, building a name for himself in the industry as someone with an uncanny ability to understand the needs of shoppers and a passion for supply chains. Known for his persistence, determination and positive attitude, he raised the money to buy high-street fashion brand Edinburgh Woollen Mill in 2002, surprising many people at the time, and successfully turned around the company through investment and opening more stores. Philip has gone on to build a profile as an expert at buying failing high-street stores, investing in them heavily, and creating new jobs at the same time. In 2012, he put £200 million of his own money on the line to acquire fashion chain Peacocks, saving 6,000 jobs, and within 5 years of ownership, the chain employed more than 12,000 people. Philip also owns Jane Norman, Austin Reed, Jaeger, Ponden Home, ProQuip, and is said to be on the lookout for more. Philip has also bucked industry consensus and recently opened up a new chain of department stores ‘Days’ in the UK, which he plans to expand over the coming years. He is also passionate about charity and, although he maintains a low profile, is a supporter of a number of cancer charities, including Cancer Research UK, and The Percy Hedley Foundation. He has also financially supported football club Carlisle United F.C. for more than 10 years and has said in the past that sport plays a hugely important role in community life. Edinburgh Woollen Mill is also the main shirt sponsor of the team. He is also passionate about the environment, and has planted more than half a million trees over the last 10 years, conducted research into the preservation and reintroduction of endangered and disappeared species through his wildlife sanctuary, and built one of the largest renewable energy Anaerobic Digesters in the world in Penrith, UK.

// Famous Retailers

Dodi Fayed

Dodi Fayed

Dodi Fayed was an Egyptian heir and a film producer. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, and fun facts about him.

Sam Walton

Sam Walton

Sam Walton was an American businessman who founded the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. This biography of Sam Walton provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Isidor Straus

Isidor Straus

Isidor Straus was an American businessman who died in the sinking of the ship Titanic. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, life, and little known facts about him.

Childhood & Early Life

Philip Day was born in October 1965. He grew up on a social housing council estate in Greater Manchester.

Not much is known about his background, but what is clear is that he had a very humble upbringing.

He was originally inspired to go into business because he saw that his parents and his friends’ parents found it difficult to find jobs. He saw business as a way to provide people with opportunities and employment.

As a teenager, Philip held down a number of part-time jobs while at school, including running a newsagent’s and doing several newspaper delivery rounds per day.

The drive to work meant that his academic studies suffered, and he turned down a place at university to pursue a career in business instead.

Philip worked for British textiles company ‘Coats Viyella’ and ‘Wensum’, before being headhunted to join iconic British tailors, Aquascutum, at the age of 28.

He stayed at Aquascutum for five years eventually being promoted to joint managing director.

Career

In 2001, Philip Day joined Edinburgh Woollen Mill (EWM), where he led a buyout of the company backed by Rutland Fund Management, a private equity firm.

He surprised the fashion world a year later when he bought out Rutland with the support of HBOS through a £69 million bid. At that time he saw a lot of potential in the brand, which had struggled on the high street because of the lack of a strategy and underinvestment. He immediately focussed on the turnaround on the business, becoming famous for his hands-on approach and going out to visit stores himself.

Philip saw the need to invest in the Edinburgh Woollen Mill stores and in training the staff. He turned the company around and it was back to profitability within a few years, after which he turned to new acquisitions as a way to drive growth.

In 2008, Philip bought Ponden Mill, a home furnishings company, and soft textiles company Rosebys, which were both operational at the time. The stores were later rebranded ‘Ponden Home’ across the UK.

EWM acquired Scottish golfing brand ProQuip in 2009 for £750,000 and brought back the company to profitability a year later, with a turnover of between £2 million-£2.5 million.

Philip went on to save another company, women’s fashion chain ‘Jane Norman’ in 2011. At that time the acquisition was called a “surprise” bid by the press, with the deal reportedly saving 400 jobs.

In 2012, Philip put £200 million of his own money on the line to acquire fashion retail chain Peacocks and save 6,000 jobs. He invested heavily in the chain and within 5 years of owning the business, Peacocks employed more than 12,000 people. EWM Group said it planned to invest in the brand and open a total of 200 stores by early 2018.

In 2016, historic men’s tailor ‘Austin Reed’ collapsed into administration. Philip acquired the company, saying that he planned to invest more than £100 million into the brand, opening 50 new stores by 2019, including a new flagship store in Central London.

EWM also acquired Jaeger from private equity firm Better Capital in 2017, after the company faced “difficulty” and collapsed into administration. Day said that it was part of EWM’s plan to open a new chain of department stores.

In May 2017 in Carmarthen, the county town of Carmarthenshire in Wales, Philip Day opened the first of a new brand of department store, Days, sited in a building that was a former British Home Stores.

EWM plans to invest in a further 50 openings over the coming years.

Philip has built a profile for himself as someone who is bucking the trend of high-street closures and setting himself and his business apart through investing in companies and local communities while others pursue an online-only strategy.

The EWM Group now employs more than 23,000 people across its stores and brands.

Major Works

Philip has built Edinburgh Woollen Mill into one of the most successful fashion brands on the high street by investing in the company, and acquiring and turning around other brands, such as Jaeger, Jane Norman, Peacocks, and Austin Reed.

Founding UK department store, Days, bringing all of these brands under one roof, has bucked the trend of companies deserting the UK high street.

Awards & Achievements

In 2017, he was listed in the Drapers list of the most influential people in global fashion. He was listed at number 37.

Personal Life

Philip is married to Debra Day, and they live in Dubai, UAE. Philip and Debra have three children.

He has been a director of a number of other organisations including Carlisle F.C., the local football club where he used to live. He has supported Carlisle F.C. financially for more than 10 years and Edinburgh Woollen Mill is the team’s main shirt sponsor.

Though not a big football fan, he believes that sport plays a hugely important role in community life, and it is important for the city that it has a successful football team. For many years he has also supported local sporting events that encourage children to take up sports such as rugby, badminton, athletics and football.

Although he keeps a low-profile about his charitable work, Philip appears to be very passionate about helping to find a cure for cancer and has given more than £5 million to a number of cancer charities, including Cancer Research UK, over the years. He is also a supporter of The Percy Hedley Foundation.

Philip is passionate about the environment and planted over half a million trees in the last ten years. He also owns The Scottish Deer Centre, which conducts research into the preservation and reintroduction of endangered species.

Philip was fined when a groundsman cut down 41 trees on his property without his knowledge. This resulted in a fine of nearly £1 million. The Property Law Bulletin later wrote that there was “little question the fine was out of all proportion to the damage caused.”

Philip is also passionate about green energy, and built one of the largest renewable energy Anaerobic Digesters in Penrith. The Greengill AD Plant produces energy from wheat, maize and other agricultural produce from the surrounding areas.

Net Worth

According to The Sunday Time, Philip Day is worth £1.05 billion. This is unusual because he made his money by saving high-street retail brands.

// Famous Business People

Kristina Sunshine Jung

Kristina Sunshine Jung

Kristina Sunshine Jung is an American entrepreneur and actor, better known as the daughter of drug-smuggler George Jung and his ex-wife, Mirtha Jung.

Ted Turner

Ted Turner

Ted Turner is a media tycoon who founded the cable news network CNN. This biography of Ted Turner provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Guccio Gucci

Guccio Gucci

Guccio Gucci was a famous fashion designer from Florence, Italy, and the founder of the world-renowned fashion brand ‘Gucci.’ Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family, personal life, career, etc.

Philip Day biography timelines

  • // Oct 1965
    Philip Day was born in October 1965. He grew up on a social housing council estate in Greater Manchester.
  • // 2001
    In 2001, Philip Day joined Edinburgh Woollen Mill (EWM), where he led a buyout of the company backed by Rutland Fund Management, a private equity firm.
  • // 2008
    In 2008, Philip bought Ponden Mill, a home furnishings company, and soft textiles company Rosebys, which were both operational at the time. The stores were later rebranded ‘Ponden Home’ across the UK.
  • // 2009
    EWM acquired Scottish golfing brand ProQuip in 2009 for £750,000 and brought back the company to profitability a year later, with a turnover of between £2 million-£2.5 million.
  • // 2011
    Philip went on to save another company, women’s fashion chain ‘Jane Norman’ in 2011. At that time the acquisition was called a “surprise” bid by the press, with the deal reportedly saving 400 jobs.
  • // 2012 To 2018
    In 2012, Philip put £200 million of his own money on the line to acquire fashion retail chain Peacocks and save 6,000 jobs. He invested heavily in the chain and within 5 years of owning the business, Peacocks employed more than 12,000 people. EWM Group said it planned to invest in the brand and open a total of 200 stores by early 2018.
  • // 2016 To 2019
    In 2016, historic men’s tailor ‘Austin Reed’ collapsed into administration. Philip acquired the company, saying that he planned to invest more than £100 million into the brand, opening 50 new stores by 2019, including a new flagship store in Central London.
  • // 2017
    EWM also acquired Jaeger from private equity firm Better Capital in 2017, after the company faced “difficulty” and collapsed into administration. Day said that it was part of EWM’s plan to open a new chain of department stores.
  • // 2017
    In 2017, he was listed in the Drapers list of the most influential people in global fashion. He was listed at number 37.
  • // May 2017
    In May 2017 in Carmarthen, the county town of Carmarthenshire in Wales, Philip Day opened the first of a new brand of department store, Days, sited in a building that was a former British Home Stores.

// Famous Libra Celebrities peoples

Melissa Brim

Melissa Brim

Melissa Brim is the ex-girlfriend of former professional boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.

Jacob Tremblay

Jacob Tremblay

Jacob Tremblay is a Canadian child actor. Let’s have a look at his family & personal life including age, birthday, relationships, net worth and fun facts.

Sierra Furtado

Sierra Furtado

Check out all that you wanted to know about Sierra Furtado, the famous YouTube Personality; her birthday, her family and personal life, her boyfriend, fun trivia facts and more.

Sexxy Lexxy

Sexxy Lexxy

Alexis Smith Walker, popularly known as Sexxy Lexxy, is an African-American singer. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements, and fun facts about her.

Benjamin Keough

Benjamin Keough

Benjamin Keough is an American socialite who is best known as the grandson and look-alike of legendary musician Elvis Presley.

Lizzie LDShadowLady

Lizzie LDShadowLady

Check out all that you wanted to know about Lizzie LDShadowLady, the famous YouTuber and gamer; her birthday, her family and personal life, her boyfriend, fun trivia facts and more.

Philip Day's FAQ

  • What is Philip Day birthday?

    Philip Day was born at 1965-01-01

  • Where is Philip Day's birth place?

    Philip Day was born in Greater Manchester, England

  • What is Philip Day nationalities?

    Philip Day's nationalities is British

  • Who is Philip Day spouses?

    Philip Day's spouses is Debra Day

  • What is Philip Day's sun sign?

    Philip Day is Libra

  • How famous is Philip Day?

    Philip Day is famouse as British Billionaire