SARAH
WILLINGHAM
13 - 14 MAY THE CRUCIBLE
"I think there's a lot to say for empowering everyone."
Sarah Willingham is a serial entrepreneur, investor, hospitality leader and former Dragon on BBC One’s Dragons’ Den. Known for her sharp commercial instinct and straight-talking style, she has built, backed and scaled businesses across hospitality, food, drink, lifestyle and consumer markets.
She began her career leading international expansion for Pizza Express and Planet Hollywood, before buying and growing Bombay Bicycle Club into the UK’s largest chain of Indian restaurants. She later became a well-known investor on Dragons’ Den, where her investment in Sublime Science delivered a reported five-times return on initial equity, described as one of the show’s most successful exits.
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In addition Sarah has received honorary doctorates for her contribution to business, from the three universities closest to her heart, Staffordshire, Oxford Brookes and Cranfield.
all about
SARAH
In 2021, Sarah launched and listed Nightcap PLC, a premium bar group focused on the UK’s late-night hospitality market, further cementing her reputation as one of the country’s most experienced consumer and hospitality entrepreneurs.
Direct, energetic and highly practical, Sarah speaks about entrepreneurship, leadership, investment, brand-building and the reality of scaling businesses when the pressure is real. Her keynotes combine commercial insight with warmth, honesty and the kind of hard-won lessons only a true operator can deliver.
"I believe in a team. How on earth could ‘I’ be better than ‘we’? Whenever I get asked about the best piece of advice, it’s always, ‘Surround yourself with great people.’ "
SARAH WILLINGHAM
