ACTA Capital CEO Richard Facioni and Alquemie Group CEO Sacha Laing are set to present at Ragtrader Live on June 8.
The pair will join senior executives from Oroton, Cue, Hype DC, Harrolds, APG&Co, Brand Collective, Sheike, Country Road and Sussan as they take to the stage at The Ivy in Sydney.
The special event will mark Ragtrader's 50 Year milestone, with networking drinks set to follow the half-day conference.
Register here as spots are filling fast for the event, which will feature presentations and panels on successful fashion business strategies.
This year, ACTA Capital created fashion history by announcing that its retail investment platform Alquemie Group acquired General Pants Co.
General Pants Co. will join its growing portfolio of brands, which include LEGO Certified Stores, SurfStitch, Ginger & Smart and Pumpkin Patch.
Under the terms of the transaction the current owners of General Pants Co., which include the Victor Smorgon Group, Phil Staub and Jackie Vidor, have agreed to reinvest a significant portion of their proceeds into Alquemie Group.
ACTA Capital CEO Richard Facioni said the Group was well positioned for growth.
“This acquisition brings Alquemie significant scale and breadth of operations as we seek to partner with exceptional, like-minded management teams to build great businesses.
“General Pants Co. is highly complementary to our existing portfolio and positions Alquemie for continued growth as we build a leading multi-channel retail investment business.
“I’m excited that the current owners of General Pants Co. have agreed to become shareholders in Alquemie, a testament to their conviction in the strength of the Group as an investment.”
General Pants Co.’ current CEO, Sacha Laing, has been appointed as Group CEO, Alquemie Group.
Laing is a highly experienced executive, having held various senior leadership retail roles including at Colette, Country Road Group and David Jones.
"Alquemie Group has a strong, well-diversified portfolio of retail brands and strong forward growth ambitions. It’s a privilege to join the business at this pivotal time and I look forward to working closely with Richard," Laing said.
Founded in 1972, General Pants Co. is an iconic specialty retailer of youth casual apparel. It currently operates 60 physical stores across ANZ with a growing e-commerce arm, offering customers a flexible omni-channel experience.
The business has a portfolio well-established vertical brands and in-demand third-party brands, anchored by a substantial denim offering.
Funding for the transaction, in addition to reinvestment by the vendors, comprised an acquisition debt facility provided by CBA and a dedicated investment fund raised by ACTA Capital.
ACTA Capital and Alquemie Group were advised by Hamilton Locke and Greenmount Advisory. General Pants Co. and its vendors were advised by Monash advisory and Danaher Moulton.