Swanky, a Shopify partner startup, has secured £7.6 million in funding from YFM Equity Partners. The investment supports its ability to deliver at scale within the Shopify ecosystem and builds on its position in the market.
It has grown to become one of Europe’s Shopify Platinum Partners, working with retailers and brands across the UK, US, Australia and Europe. As Shopify continues to establish itself globally as an ecommerce platform, demand for partners capable of delivering at scale is increasing. The investment enables continued development of its team, capabilities and relationships across the Shopify ecosystem, alongside consideration of selective M&A opportunities.
The business has more than 70 employees and has been built over 15 years with a focus on client relationships and operational delivery. Nearly 50 members of the team have become shareholders as part of the transaction, with plans to extend equity ownership across the wider team.
As part of this phase, Chris Hirst joins as Chair, bringing experience from roles including Global CEO of Havas Creative Group and CEO of Grey London. Elly Adams joins as CFO after more than 20 years at PwC in London and subsequent roles as Group Finance Director at Oxygen House Group and CFO at Oxygen Conservation. Amy Dougan has been promoted to COO, having previously driven operational improvements within the business.
Founder Dan McIvor, who started the business in 2010, no longer has day-to-day involvement following a transition period that concluded in 2024. He remains a shareholder.
What drew us to Swanky was the combination of deep platform expertise, a strong and growing client base, and an ambitious management team that has already done the hard work of building a scalable operation. As Shopify continues to gain ground with enterprise retailers, the demand for partners who can deliver at the highest level is only increasing. There are very few agencies in the UK capable of operating at that level today, and Swanky is well placed to continue building on the position it has established.
