UPCOMING SESSIONS
UPPER CLASH produces events and webinars for leaders building consumer brands, with themes spanning profitability, finance, channel economics, risk, exit strategy and founder wealth. Speakers include investors, dealmakers and advisers. See below for sessions coming up, and for regular updates contact us here.
The making of a hard-to-beat brand
WEBINAR - Tuesday 6th October 2026
A live Q&A with Valerie Evans sharing what separates challenger brands that build lasting competitive strength from those that remain easy to displace.
Valerie Evans is a Principal at Five Seasons Ventures, a consumer VC firm that has backed brands including Air Up, Artah, Dash Water and Spacegoods. Valerie began her career advising Fortune 500 retail and consumer companies on M&A transactions, before working for firms investing in growth consumer brands.
Expanding Finance
EVENT (London) - Thursday 5th November 2026
A roundtable for consumer brand founders and leaders on building a finance function for the next stage and accessing the right capital from family offices, alternative lenders and private investors.
Hugo Chance is CEO of Chance Capital which supports SMEs to secure £1m-£50m in finance.
Jon Bradbury is a partner at The Berkeley Partnership, a management consultancy which counts Unilever, Diageo, PZ Cussons and M&S amongst its clients.
The product economics behind winning brands
WEBINAR - Tuesday 10th November 2026
A live Q&A with consumer strategy and M&A expert Scott Pettipher. He will share insights on product economics, whether the goal is to build a more profitable brand or strengthen the case for future investment.
Scott Pettipher is a Director at Strategy&, the global strategy and advisory arm of PwC, and has advised leading brands including Represent, Adanola and Disturbia prior to raising capital. Scott specialises in the consumer sector working with high growth brands and private equity investors.
Proving your brand has staying power
WEBINAR - Thursday 12th November 2026
A live Q&A with consumer M&A expert Matthew Wiseman sharing how the market forms a view on a brand's staying power, and how that conviction can influence the investment case and ultimately valuation.
Matthew Wiseman is a partner at Alantra, a financial services firm behind M&A transactions involving brands such as Medik8, Childs Farm, Nails Inc, Absolute Collagen and Byoma. Matthew has over 15 years experience in consumer, working sell-side with owners in the beauty, health and wellness sectors, as well as investors on the buy-side.
Building a brand that refuses to fade
WEBINAR - Tuesday 17th November 2026
A live Q&A with consumer VC Claire Cherry who will draw on thousands of brands evaluated to explore how the strongest brands evolve without losing what made consumers choose them.
Claire Cherry is a Partner at Era VC, a consumer wellness focused investment firm backing brands across beauty & personal care, supplements, wellness and nutrition. Their portfolio includes Seed, Rythm Health, iota and OVA. Claire has over 10 years experience of consumer investing across Europe and the US.