Richard Hyman sells his consultancy
Richard Hyman (pictured) has sold Verdict, the retail consultancy he founded 21 years ago, to Datamonitor.

The business information company is paying about£4.7 million in cash for Verdict, which provides specialist coverage and advice to retail sectors, including fashion, DIY, homewares and electricals.

Hyman, probably the best-known consultant to UK store groups, said: 'Datamonitor offers Verdict an exciting opportunity for growth, not only in the UK, but especially in the international market. I look forward to working closely with them to achieve this.'

Datamonitor chief executive Mike Danson said: 'We see substantial opportunities to enhance their product delivery, as well as for the continued growth of their unrivalled retail service offering.'

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