{{Short description|English footballer (born 1967)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}} {{Use British English|date=April 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = Dean Hoyle | image = | caption = | image_size = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1967|4|16}} | birth_place = Heckmondwike, West Riding of Yorkshire, England | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Businessman | known_for = Card Factory <small> (Founder) </small> <br> Huddersfield Town A.F.C. <small>(Chairman)</small> <br> The Works <small> (Chairman & Largest Shareholder) </small> | spouse = Janet Hoyle | children = 2 }} '''Dean Hoyle''' (born 16 April 1967) is the founder and former owner of Card Factory and the chairman of Championship side Huddersfield Town. In 2015, Hoyle became chairman and majority shareholder of British discount retailer, The Works.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/970a2304-4c57-11e7-919a-1e14ce4af89b|title=The Works puts faith in organised 'chaos'- Dean Hoyle|date=15 June 2017|work=FT|accessdate=19 March 2019}}</ref>

According to the ''Sunday Times Rich List'' in 2020, Hoyle is worth an estimated £284 million, an increase of £1 million from the previous year.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Times|first=The Sunday|title=Rich List 2020: profiles 402-497=, featuring Sir Mick Jagger and the Clooneys|newspaper=The Times |language=en|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/rich-list-2020-profiles-402-497-featuring-mick-jagger-and-the-clooneys-jmzprkm29|access-date=2020-08-11|issn=0140-0460}}</ref>

==Early life== Hoyle studied engineering at Dewsbury and Batley Technical and Art College<ref>{{cite news|last=Zientek|first=Henryk|date=15 July 2015|title=Dean Hoyle joins Kirklees College alumni|work=Examiner|url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/business/dean-hoyle-joins-kirklees-college-9645567|access-date=12 February 2021}}</ref> after attending White Lee Secondary School in Heckmondwike.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/business/dean-hoyles-net-worth-business-25158566|title=Dean Hoyle's 'net worth' and business past as talks contune over takeover of Huddersfield Town|last=Teale|first=Connor|date=4 October 2022|work=YorkshireLive|accessdate=13 November 2025}}</ref>

==Card Factory== Hoyle and his wife, Janet, founded Card Factory, a chain of greetings cards and gift stores, in 1997. By 2009, the company had 500+ shops, employing over 50,000 people.<ref>{{cite news|title=Card Factory's £350m Private Equity Sale Completed|work=Yorkshire Evening Post|date=8 April 2010|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/businessnews/Card-Factorys-350m-private-equity.6214670.jp|accessdate=27 August 2010}}</ref>

Hoyle confirmed on 9 April 2010 that the sale of the Card Factory to Venture Capitalist Charterhouse was completed the previous day. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but financial commentators put the final selling price at in excess of £350&nbsp;million. Hoyle announced that he would maintain a role in the business as Non-Executive Chairman.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fcbusiness.co.uk/news/article/newsitem=235/title=huddersfield+town+chairman+dean+hoyle+confirms+card+factory+sale |title=Huddersfield Town chairman Dean Hoyle confirms Card Factory sale |website=fcbusiness.co.uk |accessdate=30 March 2016 |archive-date=8 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308045221/http://fcbusiness.co.uk/news/article/newsitem=235/title=huddersfield+town+chairman+dean+hoyle+confirms+card+factory+sale |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==The Works== Hoyle became chairman of discount retailer The Works after a "sizeable cash investment" in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.endlessllp.com/news/card-factory-founder-dean-hoyle-joins-works-chairman|title=CARD FACTORY FOUNDER, DEAN HOYLE, JOINS THE WORKS AS CHAIRMAN|date=13 July 2015|publisher=|accessdate=19 March 2019}}</ref> In July 2018, it was announced that The Works, approximately a third owned by Hoyle, would have an IPO and a valuation of £100 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityam.com/289185/private-equity-backed-retailer-works-launches-gbp100m|title=Private equity-backed retailer The Works launches £100m London float|first=James|last=Booth|date=13 July 2018|publisher=|accessdate=16 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716165607/http://www.cityam.com/289185/private-equity-backed-retailer-works-launches-gbp100m|archive-date=16 July 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hoyle retained the largest shareholding of 15% after the flotation.

==Huddersfield Town== Hoyle is a lifelong Huddersfield Town A.F.C. supporter. He joined the board of Huddersfield Town on 10 April 2008 and took over as chairman, and majority shareholder, of the Club on 3 June 2009. The outgoing chairman, Ken Davy, retains a minority holding.<ref name="TeamTalk">{{cite web|url= http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1822_3406615,00.html|title= Hoyle to be Terriers chairman|publisher= TEAMtalk|accessdate= 11 April 2008|url-status= dead|archiveurl= https://archive.today/20130105062245/http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1822_3406615,00.html|archivedate= 5 January 2013}}</ref>

In November 2016, Hoyle was awarded the fcbusiness Championship CEO of the Year award at the Football Business Awards 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://footballbusinessawards.com/winners/|title=winners|publisher=|accessdate=30 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Portsmouth's Mark Catlin Wins CEO Of The Year |url=https://fcbusiness.co.uk/news/portsmouths-mark-catlin-wins-ceo-of-the-year/ |website=fcbusiness |access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref>

In 2019, Hoyle decided to sell the club to lifelong fan Phil Hodgkinson.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48157156|title= Dean Hoyle to step down as Huddersfield chairman and will sell club to Phil Hodgkinson|publisher= BBC News|accessdate= 5 May 2019}}</ref> Huddersfield Town drew 1-1 with Manchester United on his final home game as the owner.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2019/may/05/huddersfield-town-v-manchester-united-premier-league-live|title= Huddersfield Town v Manchester United: Premier League- as it happened|work= The Guardian|accessdate= 5 May 2019}}</ref>

In late 2021 the now former Huddersfield Town owner, Phil Hodgkinson, saw multiple of his businesses collapse.

Due to this, in 2022, Dean Hoyle was reinstated as the Chairman of Huddersfield Town A.F.C

==Personal life== Hoyle is married to Janet, and they have two sons, Danny and Josh.<ref name="ExaminerLive">{{cite news |title=Another celebration for Huddersfield Town Dean Hoyle family |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/another-celebration-huddersfield-town-dean-16253863 |accessdate=28 January 2020 |work=ExaminerLive}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{cite news|url=http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/huddersfield-town-chairman-dean-hoyle-7126723 |title=Huddersfield Town chairman Dean Hoyle scales ''Sunday Times Rich List'' with more than £125m added to fortune in last year|work= examiner.co.uk|date= 16 May 2014| accessdate= 30 March 2016}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoyle, Dean}} Category:1967 births Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. Category:English football chairmen and investors Category:English businesspeople in retailing Category:People from Heckmondwike Category:Living people Category:Businesspeople from Yorkshire