Champions (UK) plc welcomed business leaders to London on Wednesday 11 March for its Entrepreneur and Exit Summit, delivering an afternoon of practical insight around what it really takes to scale, shape an exit strategy and ultimately exit well.
The event was held at Squire Patton Boggs and centred on a clear message: the strongest exit strategy is built early, through the business valuation decisions which leaders make long before a transaction is on the table.
Bringing together experienced operators and respected voices from across finance, governance, legal, banking and business growth, the Summit reflected what the Champions Growth Series is designed to do best: create practical, high-impact environments where ambitious leaders can build stronger connections and discuss growth strategy.
For leaders planning ahead, a clear exit strategy starts with the right conversations.
“Thanks for inviting me to the event yesterday. I really enjoyed it, great content, and I bumped into a few people that I know.
There’s a positive, energetic community at Champions, and despite the general gloom in the UK, everyone is upbeat. Very refreshing.”
~ Alan Smith, CEO of Capital Partners
That focus on actionable value creation and relationship-led growth closely reflects how Champions positions its wider Business Growth Series and editorial voice across its website.
From the outset, the emphasis was on substance over theory. Guests heard from Ian Mattioli MBE, Founding President and co-founder of Mattioli Woods, whose journey from garage start-up to IPO and eventual £432 million private sale offered a powerful example of how long-term value creation supports a successful exit strategy in action.
Matthew Hayes, Managing Director of Champions (UK) plc, also shared insight drawn from delivering more than £5 billion in sales growth for clients and involvement in more than 220 M&A deals over the last decade, while Sarah Furness, Founder of Well Be It and former RAF fighter pilot, brought a leadership perspective rooted in resilience and culture at scale. Their insights reinforced the idea that commercial discipline strengthens exit strategy.
The panel discussion added further depth, with contributions from Conrad Ford of Allica Bank, Paul Tutin of Streets, Amir Qureshi of The NED Advisor, Jason Druker of SFC Capital and Robert Bray of Squire Patton Boggs.
Together, the panel explored the realities of how to value a business, scaling with purpose and growth strategy for greater investment readiness and exit optionality. The Summit also addressed the accounting, tax, funding, business valuation and legal considerations that can materially influence capital value over time.
A recurring theme throughout the event was that exit strategy planning is not something to be left until the final chapter of a business journey. Instead, it is shaped by the operational discipline, governance, commercial clarity and leadership maturity developed during growth. That idea sat at the heart of the Summit and aligned with Champions’ broader approach to helping organisations manage and increase business valuation at every stage of the lifecycle, from seed funding and scale-up through to private equity events, IPOs and exits.
“Just wanted to get in touch and say thanks again for your time today and for the invite to the summit yesterday. Both were extremely insightful and given lots to come away with.”
~ Jamie Crawley, Operations Director of Omnia Performance
Importantly, the event also created space for the kind of quality conversations that are increasingly hard to find. The room brought together business leaders who were not just there to listen, but to open doors for future opportunities. That energy was reflected in the feedback received after the Summit.
For Champions (UK) plc, that is exactly the point. The Entrepreneur and Exit Summit was created not simply as a calendar event, but as a practical forum for serious business leaders thinking carefully about how to value a business, as well as growth, funding, succession and exit strategy.
The Summit was delivered in partnership with headline sponsors Allica Bank and Streets, alongside Cowens as insurance partner and Artelium as official drinks partner, with The NED Advisor and Board Champions supporting as recruitment partners.
“Thanks again for organising last night. Champions Events are the ones that are always worth making the trip down to London for.
“The slides from your speech helps me really absorb the learnings and I thought they were put together really well.”
~ Tom Jelliffe, Founder and CEO of Tzuka
As the Champions Growth Series continues, the Entrepreneur and Exit Summit stands as another example of the business community’s appetite for real-world insight on growth strategy. For those in the room, the message was clear: whether the ambition is investment or a future exit, a strong exit strategy starts now.
To explore more exit strategy insights and future events, visit: Business Growth Series