Operation Scaling
Thursday 9th October 2025
1.00pm - 4.00pm
Charing Cross, London
Scroll down to see the schedule, learn more about the speakers and request a place.
This private roundtable lunch is for consumer brand founders and directors, with speakers sharing how high-growth brands scale effectively and build operational foundations that maximise future valuation.
SCHEDULE
1.00PM
WELCOME & NETWORKING: TEA, COFFEE & LUNCH BITES
1.35PM
SHORT TALKS & DISCUSSION
HOW OPERATIONAL STRENGTH BUILDS ENTERPRISE VALUE
Simon Cope-Thompson, Managing Director M&A, Arrowpoint Advisory
Benchmark your scaling choices against what builds value for other consumer brands
Pitfalls in operations that erode valuation with investors and acquirers
Deals worked on: ME+EM (£55m fund raise), WaterWipes (majority sale to 3i), BIC (acquisition of TangleTeezer)
EXPERIENCES OF SCALING LUXURY BRAND OPERATIONS
William Plane, Luxury Brand Advisor, Ex Pat McGrath Labs
Scaling a luxury beauty brand to 800 points of sale
Keeping cash under control during rapid expansion
Clients include C-suite of luxury fashion and beauty businesses
OPERATIONAL CHANGE TO GET TO THE NEXT REVENUE MILESTONE
Jon Bradbury, Partner, The Berkeley Partnership
A practical framework for brand leaders to execute scaling ambitions
Real-world examples of how consumer brands transform operations to deliver growth
Clients include Unilever, Diageo, PZ Cussons and Primark
CHAIR OF THE SESSION
Leon Bailey-Green, Founder, Upper Clash
2.45PM
PARTNER INSIGHTS: SCALING INTERNATIONALLY
Our partners help brands to scale internationally by providing expertise in e-commerce logistics, duty automation and US tax compliance. To close the roundtable discussion, they will share advice on:
FULFILLING FROM EU HUBS, by Alison Rocks, Sprint Logistics
COLLECTING DUTIES AT E-COMMERCE CHECKOUT, by Hayley Howes, Teleship
TAX STRUCTURING FOR USA ACTIVITY, by Gabriel Guillaud, IMS
3.00PM
POST-DISCUSSION NETWORKING: TEA, COFFEE & COOKIES
4.00PM
CLOSE
SPEAKERS
From driving operational change to advising on M&A transactions, our speakers have worked with global consumer brands.
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Simon leads the Consumer, Retail and Leisure practice at M&A advisory firm Arrowpoint Advisory, where he has overseen more than 175 transactions across high-growth and established businesses spanning the consumer landscape.
His deal experience includes advising luxury travel business Mr & Mrs Smith on its sale to Hyatt, lifestyle brand White Stuff on its sale to TFG London, fashion brand ME+EM on the sale of a significant minority to funds led by Highland Europe and Lyst, the global fashion platform, on its $154m sale to Zozo, a Japanese e-commerce platform.
His team has also worked on transactions involving leading consumer businesses such as WaterWipes, Tangle Teezer, Feelunique, Fulham Shore, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants and Dishoom. With deep experience on both the buy and sell side, Simon brings a clear view of what acquirers value most in a brand's operational model.
At this event, he'll share insight into the structural improvements that can significantly boost valuation, and the importance of building tight operations that demonstrate scalability and, in turn, investment and acquisition value.
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William advised the founding team of luxury beauty brand Pat McGrath Labs from its inception through to a global presence, growing to 800 points of sale.
He supported the business across financial and legal matters, including stakeholder reporting, budgeting and negotiating international commercial agreements.
During a period of rapid growth, from 5 to 150 employees, he played a hands-on role in many aspects of operations, including setting up the brand's global expansion.
Now working as a luxury brand advisor, William consults with C-suite leaders on strategy, growth and due diligence, drawing on his background in investment banking and industry.
At this event, he'll share insights on managing cash during periods of fast growth, expanding internationally and aligning operations with investor expectations.
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Scaling consumer brands is at the heart of Jon's work as a management consultant at The Berkeley Partnership.
He has advised companies including Primark, Unilever, Associated British Foods, Diageo, Kimberly Clark, News Corp and PZ Cussons, helping them transform their operations, technology and finance functions in order to deliver growth and efficiency improvements aligned to their business goals.
At this event, Jon will share a practical framework that brand leaders can use to understand the operational changes needed to support their growth ambitions, in order to execute plans to reach their next revenue milestone.
He will draw on case studies from consumer businesses that have successfully transformed to drive growth and efficiency, showing founders and directors how to move from setting strategic goals to implementing the changes needed to actually deliver them.
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Leon is the founder of Upper Clash and producer of this event. He will be hosting this session.
REQUEST A PLACE THIS SESSION
If you were sent an email invitation, please also reply to that email to confirm your place.