Simon Orange is a British entrepreneur, investor and rugby club owner whose career links company investment, industrial business and professional sport in the North West of England. He is best known as the founder and chairman of CorpAcq, an investment group that buys established small and medium-sized companies, and as a co-owner of Sale Sharks, a professional rugby union club based in the Manchester area. His work combines long-term ownership, careful acquisition and continued support for experienced management teams. This profile explains his background, family life, business career, rugby role and wider interests, using company records and club material to separate confirmed detail from estimates, for readers seeking a brief overview.
Quick Facts
Simon Orange is best understood through a short summary of the confirmed facts in this profile. The table below brings together his background, family, business and rugby roles in one place, so readers can check the key details quickly before reading the fuller sections above or the questions below. Where a detail is an estimate or has not been disclosed, that limit is noted rather than filled in with a guess.
| Detail | Information |
| Full name | Simon Sebastian Orange |
| Born | 8 August 1967 |
| Age in 2026 | 59, having turned 59 in August 2026 |
| Raised in | Wythenshawe, Manchester |
| School | Haveley Hey Community School |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse | Karin Michelle Orange, commonly known as Michelle Orange |
| Children | None of his own, as discussed publicly by his wife |
| Best known for | Founder and chairman of CorpAcq; co-owner of Sale Sharks |
| CorpAcq founded | 2006; group based in Altrincham |
| Rugby role | Co-owner of Sale Sharks; director of Manchester Sale Rugby Club Limited since June 2016 |
| Brother | Jason Orange, original member of Take That |
Early Life and Background
Simon Orange was born on 8 August 1967 and turned 59 in August 2026. Companies House, the United Kingdom register of companies, confirms August 1967 as his birth month and year, while birthday posts from Sale Sharks support 8 August as his birthday. He is British and grew up in Wythenshawe, an area of Manchester. He attended Haveley Hey Community School, a community school in his home city, and later built much of his business life in Greater Manchester and Cheshire. CorpAcq, the investment group he founded, is based in Altrincham, a town in Greater Manchester, while many of his investment and sporting interests remain tied to the North West of England.
That regional base matters to the story. He kept his business and rugby interests close to Manchester, reflecting the same preference for steady ownership in the boardroom and long-term support on the rugby ground.
Marriage and Family Life
He is married to Karin Michelle Orange, commonly known as Michelle Orange. Official corporate documents identify her as his wife, while Sale Sharks presents the couple together as co-owners of the club. Michelle has said that she met her husband one week after she turned 18. Their relationship began when they were young adults and has continued for decades. The couple also lived in New York, in the United States, from 2009 before later returning to Britain.
Michelle has become an important part of Sale Sharks. She takes an active interest in the club, including its women’s programme and wider community work. In June 2026, the couple appeared together in an interview with BBC North West Tonight, a regional television news programme, shared through the official Sale Sharks channel. They discussed the recent season and plans for the seasons ahead, showing that both remain closely involved in the club’s future.
The exact date of their wedding has not been made widely available. Michelle has, however, spoken openly about their married life and long partnership, and the couple have treated Sale Sharks as an important part of their personal legacy.
Children and Personal Legacy
The couple do not have children of their own. Michelle has spoken directly about this while discussing their long-term plans and commitment to Sale Sharks. She explained that not having children has shaped how they think about wealth and inheritance, so the club holds a deeply personal place in their lives, not just a financial one.
The Investment Group at the Centre of His Career
Simon Orange founded CorpAcq in 2006 and built it through the acquisition of profitable small and medium-sized companies. CorpAcq is an investment group, meaning a company whose business is buying, holding and developing other businesses rather than making a single product itself. Its model is based on buying established businesses while keeping experienced management teams in place. Rather than changing every operation after acquisition, the group supports existing leaders with capital, guidance and long-term ownership.
He has been involved in identifying acquisitions, negotiating transactions, arranging funding and shaping strategy. This approach helped CorpAcq develop into a large investment group with interests across industrial products and services, meaning goods and support work used by other businesses rather than goods sold mainly to shoppers.
The investment approach can be summarised in a few consistent principles:
- Buy profitable, established businesses with a record of trading, rather than untested start-ups.
- Keep experienced managers in place so knowledge of customers and operations is not lost.
- Provide capital and guidance while giving leaders time to develop the business.
- Hold investments for the long term instead of seeking a quick resale.
- Focus on industrial products and services, where steady demand supports stable growth.
A Major Transaction and a Continued Stake
Simon Orange did not simply sell and leave when a major transaction changed the ownership of CorpAcq. A private-equity firm, TDR Capital, a company that invests large sums in established businesses on behalf of its own investors, acquired a majority interest in CorpAcq. The transaction was valued at more than one billion pounds. He and the existing management team retained a significant shareholding and continued to have an interest in the company.
Companies House records also show that Orange UK Holdings Limited, a holding company used within the CorpAcq structure, holds a substantial minority interest in that structure, meaning a stake below half of the whole. He controls at least 75 per cent of Orange UK Holdings, leaving him closely tied to CorpAcq’s fortunes.
No exact personal net worth figure is given here, because his precise personal finances have not been officially disclosed. Some business publications have called him a self-made millionaire, while others have described him as a billionaire owner. Private holdings can be difficult to value precisely, so any wealth estimate should be treated with caution. The billion-pound valuation above describes a company transaction, not a personal bank balance.
Later Investments and Advisory Work
Simon Orange continued investing after the CorpAcq transaction. He acquired a majority stake in William Hare Group, a major British structural steel company with roots dating back to 1888. Structural steel means the strong steel frames and components used in large buildings and engineering projects. William Hare works on major construction and engineering projects and generates hundreds of millions of pounds in annual turnover, meaning total sales in a year. The purchase price was not disclosed. The investment showed that he remained active and continued placing capital into established British companies.
He also joined Prefequity as a Senior Adviser. Prefequity is an investment firm that invests in lower mid-market companies across the United Kingdom, meaning businesses larger than small firms but smaller than the biggest listed companies. His role focuses on strengthening its network across the North of England, especially Manchester and the North West, drawing on a relationship dating back to 2013, when the firm first backed CorpAcq.
The main milestones in this part of his career, in order, are:
- He founded CorpAcq in 2006 and developed it by acquiring established, profitable companies.
- He became involved in the ownership of Sale Sharks and took a directorship connected with the club in June 2016.
- He retained a significant stake after a majority investment in CorpAcq valued at more than one billion pounds.
- He acquired a majority stake in William Hare Group, a long-established structural steel business.
- He joined Prefequity as a Senior Adviser, drawing on a relationship dating back to 2013.
Rugby Ownership and Community Role
Simon Orange became a major figure in English rugby when he became involved in the ownership of Sale Sharks in 2016. Sale Sharks is a professional rugby union club, meaning a team that plays rugby union, a form of rugby with 15 players on each side, at a professional level. He has served as a director of Manchester Sale Rugby Club Limited since June 2016 and has also held a directorship in Sharks Holdings Limited, another company connected with the club’s ownership structure.
One published feature reported that he held a 75 per cent interest in the club, with Ged Mason, a fellow businessman and investor, holding 25 per cent. Michelle Orange is also described by Sale Sharks as a co-owner and remains actively involved. His approach has focused on long-term development, community work and future structure, rather than short-term results alone.
Wider Business Roles and Family Connections
Simon Orange is the brother of Jason Orange, an original member of Take That, a British pop group that rose to fame in music and entertainment. Jason became famous through music and entertainment, while his brother built his name in business and professional sport. Their brother Justin Orange has also been involved in business ventures. Although the Take That connection attracts attention, his own career is firmly established through CorpAcq, Sale Sharks and his wider investments, and it does not depend on his brother’s fame.
Companies House records show a long history of corporate appointments, meaning formal roles, such as director, recorded for a company. His active roles include CorpAcq Holdings Limited, CorpAcq Limited, PRL Investor Limited, Orange UK Holdings Limited, Manchester Sale Rugby Club Limited, Sharks Holdings Limited and Orange Investments One Limited. He has also held roles connected with Powder Bowl Trading, Vecapital Property Company, Morcor, Fabrica Holdings, Regency Glass, Premier Rugby and Dunham Group, showing breadth across investment, property, industry and rugby.
He does not have a dedicated English-language Wikipedia biography as of August 2026. Wikipedia is an online encyclopaedia written and edited by volunteers. His name is mentioned on pages connected with Sale Sharks and some businesses, but there is no full standalone page, so company records and official club material support the details in this profile better than a single encyclopaedia entry.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is he in 2026?
He turned 59 in August 2026, after being born on 8 August 1967. Company records confirm August 1967 as his birth month and year.
What business is he best known for founding?
Simon Orange founded CorpAcq, an investment group that acquires profitable small and medium-sized companies while retaining their experienced management teams.
What is his role in rugby?
He co-owns Sale Sharks, a professional rugby union club, and has directed Manchester Sale Rugby Club Limited since June 2016.
Does he have children?
No, he and his wife have no children of their own. His wife has said this shaped their thinking about Sale Sharks as a legacy.
What is CorpAcq?
CorpAcq is an investment group founded in 2006 that buys profitable small and medium-sized companies while retaining their experienced management teams for long-term growth.
Conclusion
Simon Orange built a career that connects investment, company ownership and long-term planning. CorpAcq brought financial success, while Sale Sharks gave him a place in English professional rugby. His work with William Hare Group and Prefequity shows that he remains in business while maintaining links with Manchester and the North West.
By 2026, at 59, he remains linked with CorpAcq, continues to invest, advises Prefequity and plays a role in Sale Sharks. From founding CorpAcq in 2006 to retaining equity after a billion-pound transaction and continuing to invest in British companies, he has built a legacy with Manchester roots.
Charlotte Jones is the admin of ModernSeakers.com, a celebrity-focused platform covering celebrity profiles, entertainment updates, lifestyles, and fascinating stories about personalities from around the world.
