Swanky, a full-service Shopify Platinum agency headquartered in Exeter, has secured £7.6 million in investment from YFM Equity Partners’ Buyout Funds. The capital will support continued growth in talent and service capability, as well as selective mergers and acquisitions.
Founded in 2010 and appointed as one of Shopify’s first Plus Partners in EMEA in 2016, Swanky specializes in helping retailers and brands launch, scale, and optimize their e-commerce operations within the Shopify ecosystem. The agency has built an end-to-end service proposition and established international presence across the UK, Europe, and Australia, and is now one of Europe’s largest and most experienced Shopify Platinum Partners.
Dan Partridge, who joined as CEO in 2021, has led the business through a period of strategic focus and operational strengthening, growing the team to around 70 employees and delivering consistent revenue growth. The investment positions Swanky to capitalize on rapid Shopify Plus adoption across mid-market and enterprise segments.
As part of the transaction, Chris Hirst, formerly Global CEO at Havas Creative Group, joins Swanky as chair. Elly Adams, formerly of PwC and Oxygen House Group, joins the board as CFO. Amy Dougan has been promoted to COO, and Matt Giles, co-founder of the business, remains an executive board member as Chief Creative Officer.
YFM Equity Partners invests between £3 million and £15 million in fast-growing UK businesses and manages more than £750 million in funds across offices in London, Leeds, Manchester, Reading, and Birmingham.
KEY QUOTES:
“Swanky has built a highly regarded position within the Shopify Plus ecosystem, underpinned by deep platform expertise and long-standing client relationships. The team has demonstrated consistent growth and strong operational discipline, and we believe there is significant opportunity to scale further as more brands prioritise performance-led e-commerce strategies. We’re looking forward to supporting Dan and the wider team as they continue to invest in talent, capability and strategic expansion.”
Matt Gordon-Smith, Investment Director, YFM Equity Partners
“This investment marks an exciting new chapter for Swanky. Over the past few years, we’ve focused on building a strong foundation, refining our proposition, strengthening our team and deepening our expertise within the Shopify ecosystem. Partnering with YFM gives us the capital and strategic support to accelerate our growth plans, invest further in our people and capabilities, and continue delivering outstanding outcomes for our clients.”
Dan Partridge, CEO, Swanky
