March 2024
Cult label Aje cuts 20 staff after massive stock clearance
The fashion label has let a number of senior staff go, but its co-founder says the move is simply a restructure and that the business is trading as usual.
- Lauren Sams and Sarah Thompson
January 2024
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Brett Blundy hires Mark McInnes as golden handcuffs come off
McInnes is cautious about the consumer outlook, but says the retailers inside the empire of his billionaire new employer have the three traits needed to win.
- James Thomson
September 2023
- Opinion
- Retail
Solomon Lew avoids Myer showdown but has plenty of balls in the air
The billionaire retailer has never had so many balls in the air, including a new CEO for Myer and a potential break-up of his listed retail empire.
- Sue Mitchell
July 2021
Lew starts Myer board putsch after scoring share register
Solomon Lew has kicked off his campaign to win the support of Myer shareholders to overthrow the board.
- Sue Mitchell
June 2021
Solly Lew’s Premier under pressure to return more JobKeeper
Following a bumper Mother’s Day, rent deals, smart moves on inventory – the name behind brands such as Smiggle and Just Jeans sees a 92pc jump in full-year earnings.
- Updated
- Carrie LaFrenz
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Wisdom of Solomon (and Mark) delivers Premier’s profit jump
Experience and planning have helped Solomon Lew and Mark McInnes dodge the COVID-related challenges that have hurt other retailers.
- James Thomson
March 2021
Lew flags record winter, won’t budge on JobKeeper
Solomon Lew’s Premier Investments earned more in the first half of 2021 than it did last year, but he’s keeping JobKeeper as insurance against more lockdowns.
- Updated
- Sue Mitchell
January 2021
McInnes to leave Premier on a high note
After a decade in the top job, Mark McInnes says he is leaving Premier to spend more time with his family.
- Updated
- Carrie LaFrenz
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Curtain comes down on retail’s most dynamic duo
After Solomon Lew rescued Mark McInnes from corporate purgatory in 2011, the pair became one of the best double acts in Australia’s corporate sector. But all good things must end.
- James Thomson
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Premier shows Australian retail the way
A decision made six years ago to centralise the storage and distribution of the Premier Investments range of products is paying off with record online sales and profits.
- Tony Boyd
October 2020
Bonus millions for Premier's McInnes riles Labor
Federal Labor frontbencher Stephen Jones has accused retail billionaire Solomon Lew's Premier Investments of 'feathering their own nests', after paying multimillion-dollar executive bonuses while receiving JobKeeper wage subsidies.
- John Kehoe
September 2020
Solomon Lew's Premier Investments threatens to shut 350 stores
The retailer warns that one-third of its stores in Australasia could be shuttered if landlords don't play ball, while in Britain it is closing 55 of 131 Smiggle stores.
- Updated
- Simon Evans
Banks rally lifts stocks to best week since mid-August
The sharemarket advanced 1.7 per cent over the week as banks enjoyed a massive rally on Friday. Westpac's 7 per cent surge helped steer the S&P/ASX200 Index 1.5 per cent higher on Friday as the government moved to relax responsible lending rules.
- Robert Guy, Vesna Poljak, Sarah Turner, Luke Housego and Tom Richardson
November 2019
Landlords 'killing' Australian retailers, say Lew and McInnes
Solomon Lew and Mark McInnes have accused landlords of 'killing' Australian retailers by not offering them the same deals as global retailers.
- Updated
- Sue Mitchell
September 2019
Lew's war with landlords heads to the UK
The billionaire is sending a bold signal to the UK's already struggling shop owners, with a new plan that'll allow Premier to tap into Britain's already low rents.
- James Thomson
Premier shares surge as Smiggle doubts are put to bed
Solomon Lew and Mark McInnes convince investors Smiggle's 'capital light' global expansion plan will deliver results.
- Sue Mitchell
March 2019
How playing hardball with retail landlords fuels Premier's growth
There are two very good reasons why Solomon Lew doesn't want to get tied down with 10-year retail leases. One of them may surprise you.
- James Thomson
Premier Investments blames Brexit as Smiggle sales growth slows
Premier CEO Mark McInnes says "no one is immune to Brexit" as Smiggle sales rose at the slowest rate in 10 years.
- Sue Mitchell