The boss of THG has described the UK as a "selling club" where founders are "pressured to sell brands as soon as they show promise".
Matthew Moulding, who is the CEO of the Manchester-headquartered software and online retail giant, said the UK provides "the talent that is always bought by the bigger clubs".
In a social media post, the businessman also addressed recent interest in the group's Myprotein brand which was acquired in 2011.
