Mike Ashley is a British billionaire entrepreneur best known for founding and building Frasers Group (formerly Sports Direct International). He left school at age 16 and initially pursued squash coaching before opening his first sports and ski shop in Maidenhead in 1982, using a family loan of around £10,000. Under his leadership, Ashley transformed a modest retail store into a dominant UK sporting-goods retailer. By the late 1990s he had opened over 100 stores and rebranded them as Sports Direct, acquiring major brands and stakes in retail rivals along the way. Frasers. In 2007, the company floated on the London Stock Exchange, marking a significant milestone in Ashley’s expansion. In 2018 he orchestrated the acquisition of the department store chain House of Fraser and the following year rebranded the group as Frasers Group, signalling a broader ambition beyond sporting goods into luxury, lifestyle and outlet retail. Although he stepped down as CEO in 2022 and relinquished his board role, Ashley retained his controlling stake in the business and continues to act as a strategic adviser. Known for his bold, acquisitive style, Ashley has also faced criticism over warehouse working conditions and retail practices. Nevertheless, his impact on British high-street retail and his ability to identify value opportunities have made him a defining figure in the sector.