Soho Square Capital LLP (“Soho Square”), an investment firm focused on financing established and growing UK and European SMEs, is pleased to confirm its portfolio company Clarendon Fine Art, the world’s largest gallery group, has appointed top retail leader Beth Butterwick as its new Managing Director to lead the company’s growth plans.
David Steel, Director at Soho Square, commented:
“Clarendon is on an exciting growth journey and we are thrilled that the business has attracted someone of Beth’s caliber. Having most recently led Jigsaw as its CEO, Beth will work closely with Clarendon’s founder and CEO Helen Swaby to drive forward its expansion plans.”
Soho Square first backed Clarendon Fine Art in July 2021, partnering with the strong management team to continue with their ambitious rollout plans, expanding the scale and reach of the group, bringing contemporary fine art to new markets.
CLARENDON ANNOUNCEMENT:
Clarendon Fine Art, the UK’s leading contemporary art gallery group under the Clarendon and Whitewall banners, today announced the appointment of a new Managing Director to help lead the company’s exciting plans to grow exponentially.
Butterwick has a proven track record in leading high-quality brands through expansion plans. She has an impressive track record in business transformation, profit growth in the luxury sector, and delivering excellence through the services those businesses provide.
Her most recent role was as CEO of Jigsaw where she helped return the company back to profit following several challenging years. She also previously led Karen Millen through a transformational strategy that focused on their 400 stores across 65 countries as well as their digital proposition.
Butterwick will be working very closely with chief executive Helen Swaby and the leadership team as they seek to extend the company’s footprint beyond the existing 80+ UK galleries that Swaby and her team have built up in affluent regional centres and on cruise ships over the last 25 years.
Beth Butterwick, Managing Director of Clarendon Fine Art, said:
‘Fine art is a passion of mine, and I am incredibly excited to be taking up this role at Clarendon, a business which I have long admired. I look forward to working with Helen and her amazing team to continue to make high quality art accessible to a broader audience across existing stores as we look to expand across the UK. I am also extremely excited to be leading the charge on scaling Clarendon internationally, bringing what we do so well in the UK to reach new audiences in new markets.’
Helen Swaby, CEO of Clarendon Fine Art, said:
‘It is a testament to our story so far and to our exciting plans for the future that someone of Beth’s calibre and experience is joining us to lead the next part of our exciting journey of UK and international growth. We will be working closely together as we seek to continue doing what we have always done, bringing quality fine art to many more people.’
For further information
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About Soho Square Capital
Soho Square Capital is an investment firm focused on providing flexible capital solutions, typically in the form of senior or preferred capital with minority equity stakes, to established and growing UK and European SMEs. Headquartered in London, the firm is led by a highly experienced team that has been investing together for over 15 years, through many economic cycles and have the expertise and flexibility to invest up to £40 million in any given transaction, across the capital structure, from senior debt to equity. The team works closely with business owners and management teams to structure innovative, bespoke financing solutions and offer enhanced portfolio company support.
About Clarendon Fine Art
Clarendon was founded in Lichfield by Helen Swaby over 25 years ago and is now among the UK’s fastest growing luxury retail group that showcases an unrivalled range of contemporary art, as well as many important and influential names from the 20th century. The breadth of artistic talent within the portfolio is unrivalled in both style and appeal to clients.