Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United Kingdom based CEO’ operating in the Retail space. If you think a CEO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Marc Lore
Founder & CEO of Jet
Marc Lore is the Founder and CEO of Jet. He was previously the Chief Operating Officer of Wizkids, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Topps Company, Inc. (NASD: TOPP) and a leading game manufacturer. Prior to joining Wizkids, Marc was the co-founder and CEO of The Pit, Inc., an Internet market-making collectible company constructed as an alternative to eBay. The Pit, Inc. was successfully sold to the then publicly traded Topps Company in 2001. Prior to ThePit, Marc held various investment banking positions, including as Executive Vice President of Sanwa International Bank in London where he was head of the bank’s Risk Management Division. Before Sanwa, he was Vice President and Global Head of Emerging Markets Risk Department at Credit Suisse First Boston in London. In 2000, he was named by The Sunday Times Magazine of London as one of Britain’s top ten “new high-tech entrepreneurs and whiz kids.” Marc graduated from Bucknell University, where he received a B.A. in Business Management/Economics, cum laude, and is currently on leave from the Wharton University School of Business MBA program. He is also a C.F.A. (Chartered Financial Analyst). Marc has two young daughters, Sierra and Sophia, with his wife, Carolyn.
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About Jet, Walmart: Jet operates an e-commerce platform that allows its member to shop online from various retailers.
Marc Boyan
Founder & CEO of Miroma Ventures
Marc began his career in marketing with the Goldsmith family, creating and selling events such as World Wrestling Federation, Net Aid, Smash Hits & Route of Kings. His first business venture started in 2000, setting up tourist information channel, City Tour TV. The concept can now be found in various airlines, black taxis and hotels in the UK. In 2003, Marc spotted an opportunity to use barter in all areas of modern commerce and set up corporate barter company, Miroma International. He has grown the business into one of the leading corporate barter companies in Europe with Miroma International’s growth trajectory recognized in The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 report on UK businesses for four years in a row between 2008 and 2011. Outside of Miroma International, Marc has also focused on building out the Miroma Ventures portfolio, focusing on media, technology and consumer investments. Marc is a dedicated supporter of the Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity, sitting on its Executive Board.
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About Miroma Group, Miroma Ventures: Miroma Ventures is the investment arm of The Miroma Group, predominantly investing in growth stage consumer brands and media platforms.
Timothy Davis
CEO and Co-founder of Butter.co.uk
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About Butter.co.uk, MassChallenge: Butter lets you spread the cost of shopping from any online store with a simple monthly instalment plan. Download the app now!
Scott Behrens
CEO of Superbike Factory
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About Superbike Factory: Superbike Factory is a digital-first business which combines retail and sourcing online with a physical showroom operation in Macclesfield.
Kirill Chliaifchtein
Founder & CEO of SwiftGift
Founder & CEO at SwiftGift
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About SwiftGift: SwiftGift is the world’s first Instant Gift Messenger App which allows you to send real gifts to anyone in your phone’s contact book.
Andrew Xeni
CEO, Co-Founder of Fabacus
A highly driven and experienced CEO with a diverse portfolio of business interests. Andrew’s primary focus has till recently been in the family garment manufacturing business, Europride Ltd., founded with his brother. Having supplied most of the UKs largest fashion retailers for over a decade, Andrew understands their supply chain needs. The businesses boast a combined annual turnover in excess of $150m, with over 2,000 employees globally and including vested interests in the full supply chain: Factories in the UK, Eastern Europe, Morocco and Sri Lanka, a UK dye house, a UK knitting plant, fabric import business, and UK printing facilities. Andrew also has two ecommerce brands, Baaclothing.Com and NobodysChild.Com, that compliment his fully integrated vertical manufacturing service. Fabacus is the brainchild of all this supply chain, retail and ecommerce experience. Understanding exactly what is needed to improve each process and make businesses faster and more cost efficient, Andrew alongside his co-founder Ray Noppé, were able to build a suite of solutions. Fabacus delivers optimal efficiency for greater profit through customisable software for business intelligence, data management, relationship management and e-commerce marketing optimisation. To date Fabacus has successfully integrated its solution with the likes of Charlotte Tilbury, Salesforce and Revel. In addition to Fabacus and Europride Ltd, Andrew continues to invest in technology alongside New Look founder, Tom Singh, as well as property development and music interests: Launching his own music label, supporting and developing new talents.
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About Fabacus: Fabacus is a technology business that transforms brand licensing through the power of data.
Rachel Horsefield
CEO – Beauty of THG
Rachel joined The Hut Group in September 2012 as Head of Trading for the Beauty Division after 5 years working at Boots The Chemist. She won Best New Comer in the annual 2012 Company Awards Rachel’s team delivered a record breaking 2013 with retail sales growth of 59% and Rachel was promoted to Managing Director of the Prestige Beauty Division in September 2013 Rachel was Awarded Employee of the year for the Prestige Division in the annual 2013 Company Awards.
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About THG: The Hut Group is an online retailing platform focused on fast moving consumer goods, specifically focused on health and beauty.
Darren Rajanah
CEO THG Ingenuity of THG
Joined The Hut Group in 2008 playing a key role in its rapid expansion over the past 5 years. Responsible for developing and implementing commercial strategies to drive efficiencies across the group. Also with responsibility for developing and delivery of group marketing strategies. CIMA Fellow and qualified accountant with 7 years senior finance experience at the Caudwell Group (revenues of £1.5bn).
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About THG: The Hut Group is an online retailing platform focused on fast moving consumer goods, specifically focused on health and beauty.
Matthew Moulding
Chief Executive Officer of THG
Matthew founded The Hut Group in 2004 and moved full-time into the business in 2006. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Andersen and spent 8 years as Chief Financial Officer of 20:20, the distribution division of The Caudwell Group, revenues increased from £70m to £1.5bn. Matthew also led the £365m sale of 20:20 to private equity in 2006, before moving full-time to The Hut Group.
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About THG: The Hut Group is an online retailing platform focused on fast moving consumer goods, specifically focused on health and beauty.
Philippe Chainieux
CEO of MADE
Philippe Chainieux is CEO of made.com. The company sells quality furniture at an affordable price. Made.com wants to disrupt high-end furniture stores by controlling everything from manufacturing to the e-commerce platform. He was the Chief Executive Officer of Meetic, a division of Match/IAC, listed on the French Stock Market . In his role, Philippe oversaw the management of Match.com’s european online dating portfolio that comprises leading properties like match.com, meetic, neu.de, lexa.nl, twoo.com. These businesses generated revenues of over € 165 million and EBITDA over € 39 million in 2012, across 15 markets. Prior the tender offer of IAC on Meetic in 2011, Philippe was the Managing Director of Meetic and had managed the growth of the company since 2004, through the development its brands in each individual market, the international expansion (Europe, China, Latin America) and acquisitions.
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About MADE: Made.com is an online e-commerce platform directly providing designer furniture without third party involvement.
Steve Hewitt
Chief Executive Officer of Gymshark
Steve Hewitt is the chief executive officer at Gymshark and the principal owner of Sandee Worldwide Limited. He is a former CEO at Sport Brands Group.
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About : Gymshark is an online retailer and technology company of fitness apparel and accessories brands.
José Neves
Founder, Co-Chairman & CEO of Farfetch
In 2008 José Neves launched Farfetch, bringing together his interests in fashion and technology, as well as his experience in design, wholesale and retail, to create a business that would celebrate and support the diversity of the global fashion industry. The seasoned entrepreneur had experienced first-hand the challenges facing bricks-and-mortar retailers wanting to expand online. His vision was to create a single portal, offering independent boutiques the opportunity to compete with the leaders of fashion e-commerce. Farfetch now comprises more than 300 boutiques, offering over 100,000 pieces from 1,000 brands. With customers in almost 190 countries, the site receives an average of 10 million monthly hits. José has been involved in the fashion start-up world since the mid-1990s when he launched footwear business SWEAR. José later founded SIX London, a fashion licensing and wholesale company selling to 600 retailers worldwide. In 2001 José opened the renowned bstore, which won the British Fashion Award for Retailer of the Year in 2006. José has received numerous accolades as an entrepreneur and for his business ventures, including The Business of Fashion’s 500 People Shaping the Fashion Industry in 2013, Ernst & Young’s 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year and Vogue’s DirectorsOf.COM Top Entrepreneur in 2011.
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About Farfetch, Farfetch China, PlatformE, SIX London: Farfetch is an online luxury fashion retail platform.
George Graham
CEO & Co-Founder of Wolf & Badger
CEO & Co-Founder of Wolf & Badger.
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About Raw Press Juice, Wolf & Badger, Wolf & Badger: Wolf & Badger is a multi-channel retail platform for the finest independent, ethical and unique brands from around the globe.
Daniel Attia
Founder & CEO of YOPA
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About YOPA, YOPA: YOPA provides real estate agency services that assist clients in selling their properties.
John Owen
CEO of Mastek
John Owen was appointed Group CEO of Mastek Ltd in 2016 to reposition the Mastek as a leader in Digital Transformation and return the Company to growth. John has over 30 years’ experience in the global technology market, having worked in the US, EMEA and Asia as well as running global accounts. John has held senior leadership roles in global blue-chips such as HP, Nortel and Serco, as well as successful venture capital backed start-ups such as Sycamore Networks. Prior to Mastek, John was the Sales and Marketing Director for Serco Europe where his responsibilities included handling Serco’s largest customer, the UK Government with annual revenues of £2.6Bn.
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About Mastek: Mastek in building, maintaining and managing bespoke digital solutions for clients in Government, Health, Retail, and, Financial Services.
Tim Steiner
CEO of Ocado Group
Tim is the founding Chief Executive Officer of Ocado, which he started in 2000. Prior to Ocado, he spent eight years as a banker at Goldman Sachs, during which time he was based in London, Hong Kong and New York in the Fixed Income division. Tim graduated from Manchester University in 1992 with an honours degree in Economics, Finance and Accountancy.
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About Ocado Group: Ocado is an online grocery retailer providing services, technology, and automation to grocery e-commerce businesses around the world.
Alison Horner
CEO, Asia of Tesco
Alison joined the Executive Committee on 1 March 2011. Alison is responsible for Tesco’s businesses in Thailand and Malaysia. Alison also leads our developing business partnerships across the region. Alison joined Tesco in 1999 and worked in a variety of operational leadership roles running stores and leading change programmes, prior to being appointed Chief People Officer in 2011. She was appointed to her current role on 1 June 2018. Alison is a member of the Manchester Business School Advisory Board.
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About Tesco: Tesco PLC is a British multinational grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England.
Matt Simister
Chief Executive Officer Central Europe of Tesco
Matt joined the Executive Committee on 1 April 2017. Matt is responsible for all of Tesco’s businesses in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Matt joined Tesco in 1996 as a marketer. He built on his UK experience with three years as Commercial Director for our Czech and Slovak businesses. Following which, he returned to the UK to set up our Group Food capability, managing our regional fresh food and Tesco Brand sourcing, buying and inbound supply chains for the UK, ROI, Central Europe and Asia. In April 2017, Matt was appointed to his current role of CEO, Central Europe.
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About Tesco: Tesco PLC is a British multinational grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England.
Nick Robertson
Founder & CEO of ASOS
Nick Robertson is a Founder & CEO At ASOS.
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About ASOS, ASOS Ventures: Asos is an online platform engaged in the retail of fashion and beauty products for men and women.
Christoph Barchewitz
co-CEO of Global Fashion Group
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About Global Fashion Group, Kinnevik AB: Global Fashion Group designs a shopping platform that brings fashion online across 27 countries.
Mike Jordan
CEO of Bink
Over 20 years’ experience in the payment card industry at American Express, HSBC and AlphaCard. Mike has worked across diverse cultures and multiple geographies including Europe and the Middle East. Mike has experience in joint venture business management at board level and as CEO of AlphaCard and is highly active in the European FinTech community.
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About Bink, JAGARS LLP: Bink develops a mobile application that links card payment to loyalty schemes.
Jessi Baker
Founder & CEO of Provenance
Jessi Baker is the founder of Provenance, building the future of supply chain transparency and product trust on the blockchain. She is an Art and Science hybrid, with Master’s degrees in Engineering from the University of Cambridge and Design from the Royal College of Art. She has worked with brands on technology strategy across the US and Europe, including Adidas, The Four Seasons, The Guggenheim Museum, British Airways and Will.I.Am. She is an associate researcher at the Intel Institute for Sustainable Cities and a regular speaker on technology and social business.
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About Intel, Provenance: Provenance is the leading software solution for sustainability communications
Fiorina Benveniste-Schuler
Founder & CEO of Selec.to
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About Selec.to: The leading B2B platform for the Fashion Industry
Ralph Cunningham
Chief Executive Officer of Hamleys PLC
Ralph Cunningham is the chief executive officer of Hamleys Group.
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About Hamleys PLC: Hamleys offers toys and products of all kinds for kids, bringing magical experiences.
Jean-Christophe Chopin
Founder and CEO of BORN
A creator and innovator by nature, JC is an entrepreneur who has had a strong presence in online financial services, digital insurance and stock brokerage. He has a wealth of international experience with expertise in the US as well as vast European digital and brand management knowledge. JC pioneered E*Trade Europe and Verisign in the early days of the Internet, and later went on to invest in real estate, time pieces and luxury fashion. His passion for skiing and extreme sports also led him to launch the ‘Carre Neige’ ski insurance within the Savoie region. Most recently, he has married his online finance expertise with his experience in design and luxury brands to create BORN, a B2B global market-network that connects design-led brands with retailers.
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About BORN: BORN is the world’s first private B2B platform that connects a global network of design-led lifestyle brands and retail buyers.
Hasna Kourda
Co-Founder & CEO of Save Your Wardrobe
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About Save Your Wardrobe: FashionTech startup using AI to make Fashion more digital and sustainable
Fabrice Haiat
Co-Founder and CEO of YOOBIC
Fabrice Haiat served as the Chief Executive Officer and President at Vizelia S.A. Fabrice Haiat supervised the implementation of different product and service solutions. He also contributed to the ESSEC Property management masters course and participates in numerous conferences, with the aim of sharing his forward-looking vision of the environment and informing decision-makers on the energy challenges to be faced over the next decade. He served as an International Consultant with McKinsey and gained his experience in the new technology and property sectors. He served as a Director of Vizelia S.A.
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About Petribox, YOOBIC: YOOBIC is an all-in-one platform for the deskless workforce to optimize communication, training, and process management.
James Spalding
Chief Executive Officer of OLR
James is a highly motivated business leader with a focus on using technology to provide businesses with a competitive advantage. A natural innovator, he has over 25 years experience successfully leading teams to deliver challenging, large scale, business critical IT projects.
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About e2x Limited, e2x Limited, OLR: OLR is retail industry experience to safely take our clients into an empowered commerce world.
Dana Dunne
CEO of eDreams ODIGEO
Dana Dunne is the CEO of eDreams ODIEGO. Prior to eDreams, Dana Dunne served as CCO at EasyJet Plc., and was in charge of sales (especially online sales), marketing, productivity management and of the customer service center. Before that, he was the CEO of AOl Europe Sarl, a division of AOC LLC. He has a deep experience in high-profile international telecommunication companies, as he has been the president of the main business units at Belgacom and US West, two of the most outstanding telecommunication companies in Europe and in the US.Dana holds an MBA from Wharton Business School and a degree in Economics from Weslevan University. He has a double nationality: American and British. On March 31st 2017, Dunne owned 713. 112 shares in eDreams ODIEGO. Dana Dunne was appointed CEO of eDreams during a shareholder meeting held on the 22nd of July 2015.
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About eDreams ODIGEO: eDreams ODIGEO is one of the world’s largest online travel companies and one of the largest European e-commerce businesses.
Vashi Dominguez
Founder, Chairman & CEO of Vashi
Visionary entrepreneur with strong background on branding and e-commerce. Vashi Dominguez founded Vashi in 2007 with the goal of making fine jewellery accessible for all. Previously he ran an International diamond wholesale company with clients in 4 continents.
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About Vashi: Vashi is a fine jewellery brand that offers a genuinely unique, disruptive, and omni-channel retail experience.
Richard H Harris
Group CEO, Founder of Ensygnia
Richard is known as a hands-on, technology entrepreneur with a track record of building and transforming early-stage technology companies such as Ensygnia, Swivel Secure, Mobix, SAVortex, Clearswift and Tumbleweed. As Chief Executive and a founder of Ensygnia, Richard conceptualised and patented a visual alternative to NFC called Onescan. Ensygnia’s Onescan platform enables a consumer to go from looking to buying in under 10s from first contact – including new customers! At the Mobile World Congress over 1500 industry leaders voted Onescan as one of top 3 the innovations most likely to have the greatest impact on the mobile industry over the next ten years! Ensygnia beat tough competition from AirWatch, CloudX, Metrical and SpatialBuzz to win the Mobile Industry Awards 2014: Best Use of Software. In his spare time, he enjoys Ceroc & Scuba, is a campaigner for the rights of vulnerable adults and mental health issues when possible working with Zacchaeus 2000 Trust and Mental Health Research UK as well as mentoring Nicholas Fearn a young man with Asperger’s. Also enjoys mucking around with molten glass, composing music, painting and digital art.
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About Ensygnia: Ensygnia delivers integration Platform as a Service for large payment companies and corporations deploying omnichannel solutions
Matthew Scanlan
CEO & Co-Founder of Naadam
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About Naadam, Something Navy, Thakoon: Naadam is an American clothing company specializing in affordable, luxury cashmere products.
Yoyo Chang
Co-Founder, CEO and President of KodyPay
Yoyo is a Taiwanese born British entrepreneur who is a co-founder and the current CEO of KodyPay. Yoyo co-founded KodyPay in the final year of High School and successfully raised US$6 million over 2020/21. Hoping to build a career in investment banking, Yoyo had started to invest in the stock market at the age of 13. With returns of over 80% in Q4 2016, he led his school team to first place in a national investment competition. During Yoyo’s first year at the University of York, Yoyo self-invested £120,000 of trading profits to build a pilot product for KodyPay. Yoyo has studied at King’s College, University of Cambridge and Langwith College, University of York.
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About IIC Holdings, KodyPay, Nerd Ventures: Revolutionising in-person payments to grow your business with a trustworthy and innovative solution.
Al Gerrie
Co-Founder & CEO of ZigZag Global
Al Gerrie is Co-Founder & CEO at ZigZag Global.
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About We Are Pentagon, ZigZag Global: ZigZag Global is a software platform that helps retailers manage their returns globally.
Paula Vennells
CEO of The Post Office
Paula has worked for Post Office Limited since 2007 in a number of senior roles including Managing Director. She became Chief Executive on 1 April 2012. Previously Paula spent five years with Whitbread plc latterly as Group Commercial Director. She began her career with Unilever and L’Oreal and held directorships in sales and marketing with a number of major retailers including Dixons Stores Group and Argos. She is currently a Non-Executive Director and Trustee for Hymns Ancient and Modern Group.
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About The Post Office: Post Office is a retail post office company that provides a wide range of products, including postage stamps and banking to the public.
Olga Kotsur
Co-founder and CEO of Mercaux
Olga Kotsur is Founder at Mercaux.
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About Mercaux, The Boston Consulting Group: Mercaux brings the benefits of digital into retail stores to drive sales uplift.
Raphael Chow
Co-founder and CEO of Wevat
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About Wevat: Wevat is the best way to get your tax back on shopping in the UK.
Philipp Man
Co-Founder & CEO of CHRONEXT
Philipp Man holds a Master of Philosophy in Innovation, Strategy & Organisation from the University of Cambridge Judge Business School as well as a Bachelor of Science in Management from King’s College London, majoring in corporate finance, venture capital and market sociology. Besides his work at the Boston Consulting Group, Germany and Switzerland, he also gained experience at GlencoreXstrata in London. During his studies he worked for various watch dealers and focused his dissertations on luxury watch market dynamics.
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About CHRONEXT: Chronext is is a full-service platform for luxury watch trading where clients can buy, sell luxury watches.
Federico Marchetti
Founder and CEO of Yoox Net-a-Porter Group
Born in Ravenna in 1969, Federico Marchetti holds a degree in Economics from Bocconi University in Milan and an MBA from Columbia University. Upon completing his studies, he embarked on a traditional path in the corporate world and while those early years in his career proved to be an invaluable experience, he knew all along that he would need to go out on his own to fulfil his professional objective of becoming an entrepreneur. In 2000, after having served as an advisor for several chief executives and designers in the fashion industry, both in the U.S. and in Italy, he founded YOOX, the perfect venture in which he could unite his business vision with his passion for fashion and design.
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About Yoox Net-a-Porter Group: Yoox Net-a-Porter Group is the global Internet retailing partner for leading fashion and luxury brands.
Tamara Rajah
Founder & CEO of Live Better With
A couple of years ago, Tamara got really frustrated from her professional and personal experiences. She found that there are so many things that could help people living with cancer live better day-to-day, but they don’t know about them or don’t know where to buy them. She left her job in healthcare and set up Live Better With to change that.
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About Live Better With: Make life a little bit better with 100s of recommended products for people living with cancer.
Charles Wilson
Chief Executive Officer of Booker Group
Charles started his career in 1986 with Procter and Gamble following which he was a consultant with OC&C Strategy Consultants and a Director of Abberton Associates. In 1998 he became an Executive Director of Booker plc which merged with Iceland plc in 2000. In 2001 he became an Executive Director of Arcadia Group plc and in 2004 he became an Executive Director of Marks and Spencer Plc. In 2005 he was appointed as Chief Executive of Booker.
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About Booker Group: Booker Group plc is the United Kingdom’s largest food wholesale operator offering branded and private-label goods.
James Griffith
CEO & Co-founder of Mous
James Griffith is the CEO and co-founder at Mous.
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About Mous: Mous is a fashion tech brand that designs and manufactures protective accessories.
Adam Ward
CEO & Co-Founder of Airtime Rewards
Adam is the co-founder and CEO of Airtime Rewards Ltd.
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About Airtime Rewards: Airtime Rewards is an innovative loyalty platform pioneering unique rewards solutions with mobile operators.
Derek O’Carroll
Chief Executive Officer of Brightpearl
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About Brightpearl: Brightpearl is the omnichannel retail management system that puts your orders, inventory, financials, POS and CRM in one place.
Nick East
Co-Founder & CEO of Zynstra
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About Zynstra: Zynstra is transforming edge computing at the retail edge.
Gerald Ratner
Founder & CEO of Signet Jewelers
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About Gerald Online, Signet Jewelers: Signet Jewelers engages in the retail sale of jewelry and watches in the United States, the United Kingdom.
Steve Reid
Co-Founder and CEO of Simba Sleep
CEO and co-founder at Simba Sleep CEO and co-founder of Tribesports
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About Simba Sleep, Tribesports: Simba Sleep is an e-commerce company that offers a variety of mattresses.
James Davidson
Co-Founder and CEO of Tails.com
James Davidson is Co-Founder & CEO at Tails.com.
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About Tails.com: Tails.com is an online pet nutrition service that provides tailor-made food designed to deliver perfectly optimised nutrition for dogs.
Mike Charalambous
Founder / CEO of Threedium
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About Frenzi Media, Threedium: We create memorable brand experiences, drive product considerations and deliver conversions through 3D/AR Technology.
David Howden
Chief Executive Officer of Hyperion Insurance Group
David started his career as a broker at Alexander Howden in 1981. He founded the Group in 1994 originally as a wholesale broker employing just three people. He has been the fundamental driving force behind its expansion into an international insurance group offering wholesale, retail and reinsurance broking, and underwriting. As Chief Executive, David’s focus is on leading the Group’s M&A activities as well as directing and implementing the Group’s strategic growth and direction.
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About Howden Broking Group, Hyperion Insurance Group: Hyperion is an international insurance intermediary group with insurance broking and underwriting agency arms.
Ian O’Doherty
CEO of Appreciate Group
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About Appreciate Group, Chester Race Company: Appreciate Group is a company with talents and dedication, and they are experts in building positive interactions and connecting people.
Iris Anson
Founder/CEO of Solely Original
Iris is a founding director at Solely Original, an online bespoke women’s footwear brand. As a fashion conscious city professional, she decided to leave behind her career as a tax consultant to pursue a solution for women like her, who had trouble finding fashionable shoes that are comfortable to walk in.
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About Etiq AI, Solely Original: Solely Original is a shoe brand allowing clients to design their own shoes, have custom made to fit the specifications of the feet.
Maggie Sanchez
CEO & Co-Founder of myCircle
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About myCircle: myCircle is a U.K.-based SaaS and data company that provides merchants with analytics and mobile financial app services.
Andy Cockburn
CEO & Co-founder of Mention Me
Andy co-founded Mention Me with Tim Boughton in 2013 to enable brands to realise the potential of the referral marketing channel. They bootstrapped the business and spent the first two years proving out the model. Between 2015 and 2018 they have grown from a team of two with 20 clients to a profitable, fast growing business of thirty five people with more than 250 clients. Andy was previously UK Managing Director of HomeAway where he managed the UK team of 120 employees running the HomeAway.co.uk and OwnersDirect.co.uk businesses as part of HomeAway Inc. through the successful IPO on the NASDAQ in 2011. HomeAway launched in 2005 and raised over $400M in Venture funding in order to acquire 14 leading holiday lettings companies across the world. It was one of the Wall Street Journal’s top three venture-funded companies in 2010 before successfully floating on the Nasdaq in the summer of 2011 for a valuation of over $3B. Prior to this he founded an internet start-up, Wigadoo, in the online travel & leisure and financial services sector, pioneering the Social Purchasing space. He is a graduate of Cambridge University and has an MBA from INSEAD Business School in France.
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About Mention Me: Harness the exponential power of your brand fans
Karin Cabili
Founder & CEO of Dropit Shopping
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About Dropit Shopping: Dropit provides a digital handsfree shopping solution for malls and central shopping districts, delivering bags from store to door.
Liam Houghton
CEO & Co-Founder of Popsa
Liam Houghton joined Popsa as CEO & Founder in 2016.
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About Popsa: Popsa is a machine learning startup that automatically designs, makes, and delivers personalized physical products.
Chris McCullough
Co-Founder & CEO of Rotageek
Chris used to be an A&E doctor for 16 years, and that’s what inspired him to improve scheduling. He’s a relentless problem solver, who believes passionately in the power of great teams and experimenting. Chris has previously co-founded two other ventures, one of which is now Europe’s largest social network for health. He loves Formula 1 (and has kissed a few racetracks).
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About Rotageek: Using data-driven technology to meet demand, engage teams, and drive efficiency.
Jack Williams
Chief Executive Officer of Selazar
Jack G. Williams specializes in e-commerce strategy and logistics and is a master of getting the job done.
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About Selazar: Selazar provide an cloud based supply chain and logistics platform for eCommerce retailers.
James Critchley
Co-founder and CEO of cloud.IQ
James Critchley is the co-founder and CEO of cloud.IQ, which he launched in 2012 after leaving his position as MD at another established, successful company that he co-founded in 2002 offering enterprise multi-channel services to brands, governments and charities. Before that, James spent time at Ogilvy Interactive until 2001 after launching another successful business – winter sports travel company, Alpine Elements. James graduated with a BSc in Economics in ’98. Today, as CEO of the leading conversion rate optimisation platform for eCommerce Enterprise brands such as Boots, TUI and Samsung. As a serial digital entrepreneur, he is leading the charge in AI and machine learning based customer experience in a way that has never before been possible. As with most start-ups, one of the biggest challenges was to get the funding required to help build a team to create a cutting-edge product and take it to market. Having already secured sufficient investment from investors that shared our view has helped us achieve our growth to date. An exclusive partnership agreed with PayPal last year is testament to cloud.IQ’s specialist expertise in conversion and has elevated the company’s market strength with access to a global merchant audience. cloud.IQ’s direction towards a fully automated AI and machine learning based CRO platform is a game-changer for any e-commerce brand. James and the cloud.IQ team are leading the thinking in this space, which means educating its customers and the wider market as to the full power of the platform and how smart brands are adopting CRO capability not previously possible. With offices in Sydney, the cloud.IQ headquarters are based in the vibrant heart of London’s tech scene in Shoreditch. This proved a smart move, as it continues to help to recruit and retain the best tech talent in the UK as well as reap the benefits of being part of a much bigger and inspiring collective of companies all trying to disrupt established ways of doing stuff. There are now over 3,000 tech companies all within a mile of cloud.IQ headquarters, creating ample opportunities to network and share ideas. James is passionate about his family, technology as an enabler and by contrast his 82 year old race car and snowboarding/skiing – in that order!
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About cloud.IQ: cloud.IQ is an AI and machine learning based automated conversion rate optimisation platform for e-commerce businesses.
Eleanor Weaver
Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Luminance
Eleanor is Chief Executive Officer at Luminance. She is a former Director at world-leading cyber AI company, Darktrace, where she spent six years as Global Head of the organisation’s Industrial Division. Prior to this, Eleanor founded and ran Darktrace’s African operations. In recognition of her work in the technology sector, Eleanor won the prestigious ‘Innovation Trailblazer Award’ at Law.com’s 2021 Legal Innovation Awards and made Management Today’s ’35 under 35’ list.
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About Darktrace, Luminance: Luminance applies supervised and unsupervised machine learning to the process of document review.
Andrew Mukerjee
Co-founder, CEO of Brisqq
Andrew has a keen interest in solving big global problems using software. Andrew and team built Brisqq into the leading digital last mile distribution business in the London market and launched eLogii to enable commercial fleet operators around the world to increase efficiency in their planning, routing and dispatch operations. Formerly an investment banker focusing on software and internet transactions. Andrew graduated from King’s College London and speaks fluent Dutch.
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About Brisqq, eLogii: Brisqq provides local logistics-as-a-service, enabling retailers to offer same day (or future date) deliveries in 1-hour timeslots.
Matthew Warren
CEO and Founder of Veeqo
Matthew Warren is Founder & CEO at Veeqo.
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About Foundee, TechHub, Veeqo: Veeqo provides a cloud service that helps online retailers manage their business operations.
Bassel El Koussa
CEO & Co-Founder of Quiqup
Bassel El Koussa is the Co-Founder and CEO of Quiqup.
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About Quiqup: Quiqup is a provider of on-demand, same-day, and scheduled delivery solutions to retailers and restaurants.
Kostas Koukoravas
Founder and CEO of Intelistyle
Project & Product management, business development, software engineering, AI. Has 13 years experience leading the development of ideas from inception through to delivery and has launched high profile online services including BBC iPlayer Radio, Microsoft Skype on Windows 8 and Surface Hub. Has varied experience in applied machine learning ranging from real time action detection in video (Microsoft Surface Hub) to portfolio optimisation in financial data. Holds an MPhil on unsupervised learning from the University of Manchester and a coursera machine learning certificate from the University of Stanford.
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About Intelistyle: Intelistyle provides A.I. styling solutions to fashion retailers, helping them address the needs of customers looking for styling advice.
Michael Truluck
CEO & Founder of La Redoute
Michael Truluck is the CEO & Founder of La Redoute.
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About La Redoute: La Redoute is an e-commerce website that offers clothing and accessories for women, men, and children, home appliances, and more.
Lara Mazzoni
CEO & CO-FOunder of Bodi.Me
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About 3D-A-PORTER, Bodi.Me: Fashion Fit Technology Innovator – UNIQUE AND AN EFFECTIVE SaaS CLOTHING SIZE SOLUTION FOR BRANDS & SHOPPERS
Gary Thompson
Co-founder and CEO of GoRaise
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About Blu Sky Chartered Accountants, Fit Gurus, GoRaise, Startup Coach, Virgin StartUp: You can fundraise for a local club, your child’s playgroup or a national charity and many other causes – you choose
Akihiro Harada
Chief Executive Officer of Glory Global Solutions
Harada san took up the position of Chief Executive Officer of GGS in April 2016. Having joined GLORY Ltd. in 1985, Harada san brings an enormous amount of industry knowledge and experience to the company, with a focus to drive the international business forward, through further unification, achieving long-term growth plans and maintaining support of valued customers around the world. Since joining GLORY Ltd. Harada san has worked in a number of areas across the business and has been key in establishing a new factory in Saitama and logistics center operations in Japan. Between 1998 and 2005 he went from Head of Parts Manufacturing Department of Himeji Factory to Head of Production Engineering and also served as a Director of a number of manufacturing subsidiaries. Responsible for new products, new projects and product cost down programs at this time, Harada san developed a medium-term strategic plan for all GLORY factories. More recently, he was the President of GLORY’s factory in the Philippines from 2006 and 2008, and took up the role of Head of Management Planning Department before moving to the UK in 2012 to lead the integration of GLORY and Talaris. Harada san has been Chairman of GGS since April 2015 and a GLORY Ltd. board member since June 2015.
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About Glory Global Solutions: Glory Global Solutions is a pioneer in the development and manufacture of money handling machines and systems.
Michael Rolph
CEO and Co-Founder of Yoyo Wallet
Michael Rolph started his career at Barclaycard, First Data and PayPal. Prior to founding Yoyo, he was a founding member and Director at Anthemis Group, the specialist FinTech advisory and investment firm. During this time he advised multiple start-ups like Azimo and The Currency Cloud in their early stages as well as established players like Vocalink, Skrill and the Banks on digital innovation, investment and M&A. He is currently an advisor to Firestartr and has previously been a mentor at Seedcamp, the early stage funding company and a non-executive director at The MoBank Group.
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About Yoyo Wallet: Yoyo Wallet is a mobile payment, loyalty and marketing platform.
Colin Stephens
CEO and Founder of Better Bathrooms
Colin Stevens, Founder & Leader, BetterBathrooms.com on a boost in confidence There is a big difference, there is a big difference because you walk in a room now and people know of you. Before, you’d walk in a room and people would like… they might know you, they might not know you but only through introductions.
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About Better Bathrooms: Bathroom retailer based in the United Kingdom
Malcolm Bell
Founder CEO of Saint and Sofia
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About Harvard Business School, Saint and Sofia, Seedcamp: Saint and Sofia is a fair and sustainable fashion and accessory brand.
Ben Fletcher
Co-Founder & CEO of The Mothership
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About Lead Bullets, Oxford Global Resources, The Mothership: The Mothership brings the power of multichannel marketing and digital-first branding to the best consumer products.
Daniel Martinho Corbishley
Co-Founder & CEO of Aura Vision
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About Aura Vision: Aura Vision enables brick-and-mortar retailers to positively influence shopper journeys with cutting-edge computer vision.
Adam Pikett
CEO of SportPursuit
Adam Pikett is Co-Founder & CEO at SportPursuit.
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About SportPursuit: SportPursuit is a UK-based private-sale sports website.
Dominic Clark
Founder & CEO of TyresOnTheDrive.com
Dominic Clark is a Founder & CEO at Tyres on the Drive.
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About TyresOnTheDrive.com: TyresOnTheDrive.com is an online business offering a huge variety of tyres, with mobile tyre fitting, tyre repairs, and recycling services.
Ben Brown
Founder & CEO of Shopwave
Ben founded Shopwave following the acquisition of his first startup, VouChaCha. VouChaCha managed multi-channel coupon distribution and redemption for many of the UK’s top 200 retailers. VouChaCha was acquired as part of Markcomedia in a deal worth £55 million by Monitise PLC.
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About Shopwave: Kitchen & Ops Automation, POS, App Integration & Payments. Shopwave helps the worlds leading restaurant and retail brands to scale globally.
David Grimes
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sorted Group
David Grimes is the founder and CEO of Sorted Group, formerly My Parcel Delivery Group.
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About MPD Group, myParcelDelivery, Sorted Group: Sorted Group is a global SaaS company that provides data-driven software for checkouts, warehouses, and shipping.
Clare Julie McKeeve
Founder & CEO of Luxcite Limited
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About Eaton Gate Capital Partners, Luxcite Limited, TLNT Holdings SA: Investor – Luxury and Premium Brands
Yodit Stanton
Founder and CEO of OpenSensors
Software and Data engineer working to helping people understand their physical space. Currently growing OpenSensors. OpenSensors aggregates data from a variety of sensors for the next generation of smart Building Management Systems. Our dashboards help you make the most effective use of your office space. With experience in helping more than 100 companies to combine data from new workplace sensors seamlessly, interoperating it with existing and familiar mobile and desktop systems, we aim to give you a fully comprehensive overview.
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About OpenSensors: OpenSensors is an internet of things company that builds a connected world that puts people first.
Nick Wilkinson
CEO of Dunelm
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About Dunelm: Dunelm is the UK’s home furnishing retailers. Shop for bedding, curtains, furniture, beds, and mattresses.
Jamila Jamani
CEO and Founder of Modist
Jamila Jamani is the founder and CEO of Modist. She is also a business development director at Village Supermarket Ltd. Jamila holds a master’s degree in fashion and luxury brand management.
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About Modist: Modist is a digital platform that gives sales teams one access point to e-commerce, client, inventory, and digital marketing information.
Ross Bailey
CEO of Appear Here
Ross Bailey is the Founder and CEO of Appear Here. Appear Here is a short-term retail space marketplace used by thousands of brands and landlords every month. Based on the concept that renting commercial property should be as easy as booking a hotel room, Appear Here’s mission is to make retail space accessible to everyone. Hailed a “Digital game changer for the high street” by The Guardian, Appear Here, has received investment from the previous backers of Hailo, Pinterest, Spotify and Trivago.
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About Appear Here: Appear Here is an online marketplace for retail space.
Nick Mackenzie
CEO of Greene King
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About Greene King: One of the leading pub and brewing companies in the UK.
Andrew Hart
Co-Founder and CEO of Dent Reality
Working on AR for indoor spaces at Dent Reality. Creator of ARKit + CoreLocation, and some other things.
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About Dent Reality: Dent Reality develops an augmented reality platform that helps users find their favorite products on the market.
Stuart Mclean
Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Zonal Retail Data Systems
Stuart Mclean is the Founder & CEO of Zonal Retail Data Systems & he attended Middlesex University.
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About Zonal Retail Data Systems: Zone Retail Data Systems provides technology solutions to the bar, restaurant, retail, hotel, and leisure industry.
Emma Watkinson
Co-Founder & CEO of silkfred
Emma Watkinson is a Co-Founder & CEO at silkfred.
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About silkfred: SilkFred is a luxury retail platform that helps independent brands and emerging designers get their products to market.
Emma Watkinson
Co-Founder & CEO of silkfred
Emma Watkinson is a Co-Founder & CEO at silkfred.
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About silkfred: SilkFred is a luxury retail platform that helps independent brands and emerging designers get their products to market.
Antony Woodcock
Co-founder and CEO of Gig
Antony Woodcock is a co-founder and the CEO at Gig since July 2015. Prior to working at Gig, Woodcock worked as a co-founder and director at Maki, director at Parliament House Hotel Co., and member of executive brand management for Holiday Inn Express Europe at InterContinental Hotels Group. Woodcock finished Bachelor of Arts, Marketing and Management Science at University of Strathclyde.
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About Gig: Gig offers a platform for millennials who want to pick up shift work in the hospitality and retail sectors.
Jose Manuel Moller
Founder & CEO of Algramo
Jose Manuel Moller is the Founder and CEO at Algramo.
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About Algramo: Algramo aims to establish a wholesale relationship with manufacturers of consumer products such as detergents.
Emilie Vanpoperinghe
Co-founder and CEO of Oddbox
Emilie Vanpoperinghe is the Co-Founder & CEO at Oddbox.
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About Oddbox: Oddbox is a provider of fruit and veg box delivery service intended to reduce food waste.
Chris Ingram
Chief Executive Officer of York Mailing
Chris Ingram is the Founder & CEO of York Mailing.
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About York Mailing: York Mailing supplies flyers, media insets and catalogues for the high-street retail market sector.
Kristian Tapaninaho
Founder & CEO of Ooni
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About Ooni: Ooni is the number one pizza oven brand in the world.
Maxwell Harding
Founder & CEO of Dynamify
CEO & Co-founder, Dynamify; Ex-Investment Professional, Terra Firma Capital Partners
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About Dynamify: Dynamify is an all-in-one platform using technology, data, and AI to enhance service delivery and margin.
Peter Kriskinans
Founder & CEO of Bizie
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About Bizie: Bizie develops software and online solutions to help manage companies from the retail industry.
David Ripert
CEO of Poplar Studio
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About Poplar Studio: Poplar is a creative platform that enables brands and retailers to produce 3D and AR experiences on-demand, powered by a talent cloud.
Alan Yau
Founder & CEO of Softchow
Alan Yau (OBE) is a seasoned entrepreneur who has created ventures such as Wagamama (2018 valuation $800 Million), Hakkasan (2018 valuation $1.1 Bn & Michelin Star 2002, Exited in 2008), Busaba Eathai (Exited in 2008), Yauatcha (Michelin Star 2005).
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About Softchow, Wagamama: Softchow is a qualitative taste aggregation and discovery marketplace that is community driven.
Louis Schena
Co-Founder & CEO of Swipii
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About Swipii: Customer loyalty, card-linking, automated marketing, open banking, digital, SMB, local businesses
Nick Brackenbury
Co-Founder & CEO of NearSt
Nick Brackenbury is a technology entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of NearSt; a retail technology start-up getting people back into high street shops. His tech company is revolutionizing the idea of shopping locally rather than ordering it online. Nick was formerly one of Ogilvy’s youngest ever Account Directors, working on pioneering teams in the agency’s analytics and digital platforms teams across brands spanning Land Rover, Nestle, BP, Ford, Diageo and IBM. He is fascinated by behavioural economics and the incredible potential currently hidden away in high street shops.
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About NearSt: NearSt is a retail technology company building the world’s source of real-time local inventory.
Anthony Ng Monica
Co-Founder & CEO of Swogo
CEO of Swogo – Retail Week nominated Swogo as a Top 25 Most Innovative Retail company. Hundreds of retail leaders in over 30 countries around the world drive profitable growth with Swogo. Brands like El Corte Inglés, John Lewis, Decathlon, Sephora, Media Markt and British Telecom make millions in incremental margin using Swogo’s automated cross-sell bundles. Using a unique approach that focuses on understanding a retailer’s product assortment – Swogo Product Graph ™ combined with machine learning and AI algorithms have surpassed 1.5 billion bundle recommendations in the first half of 2019. Swogo has been featured in The Financial Times, Entrepreneur and Business Insider. Prior to Swogo, Anthony studied BSc Business Economics at Westminster University and held roles at VC firm, DFJ Esprit and Seedrs.
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About Swogo: Swogo powers bundle recommendations for the world’s most successful retailers to increase their margin.
Marco Nardone
Founder & CEO of Wineapp
Marco Nardone is the Founder and CEO of Wineapp – UK’s largest app for on-demand wine delivery. www.wineapp.com / Available on iOS and Android. Wineapp is VC-backed by Rocket Internet and Speedinvest.
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About Wineapp: Mobile App – On-demand Fine Wine Delivery
Nick Paulson-Ellis
Founder & CEO of The Sports Edit
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About The Sports Edit: The Sports Edit is a multi-channel retailer.
