Speakers

Lucie Macleod is the founder and CEO of Hair Syrup, a successful hair care brand known for its all-natural, cruelty-free pre-wash hair oils.

Based in Pembrokeshire, Wales, Lucie began her entrepreneurial journey in 2019 when she was a university student at the University of Warwick. After struggling with her own damaged air from bleaching and styling, she started researching and developing DIY hair treatments to improve her hair’s health. The oils she created worked so well that she shared her hair care routine on TikTok, where her content went viral, and she kept it that way. This sudden popularity prompted Lucie to start selling her products, and in just a few months, Hair Syrup became a thriving online business.

Today, her brand is stocked in major retailers like Boots, Superdrug, Urban Outfitters & Beauty Bay; Hair Syrup is a top 3 SMB merchant on TikTok and is on track to make £6.5 million in annual revenue by 2026 with the help of her growing team of 15+ people behind her. Hair Syrup has since expanded into a much larger hair care product range, with a focus on all-natural, sustainable ingredients. The line, featuring hair oils designed to nourish and strengthen, is a customer favourite for its effectiveness in promoting healthy hair growth.

Lucie’s commitment to cruelty-free, eco-conscious products has resonated with her growing audience, and the brand is quickly gaining recognition in both the beauty and sustainability spaces. Lucie also featured on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, pitching her business to the investors in January 2025 as an additional marketing tactic. Despite her rapid success, Lucie remains hands-on with her company, often helping with packaging and operations.

Anne-Clare Ribbons is the founder of Cotton Twist, an award-winning children’s craft brand born from a simple idea at her kitchen table. After leaving a fast-paced corporate career and becoming a mother, Anne-Clare recognised a gap in the market for stylish, sustainable party bag fillers and craft kits that spark creativity without costing the earth. With just £400 and a vision to reduce plastic waste, she launched Cotton Twist in 2015.

Now celebrating its tenth year, the business has grown organically, reaching thousands of families and retailers worldwide. Anne-Clare leads the brand with a focus on eco-conscious design, playful nostalgia, and the joy of hands-on creativity. From party bags to seasonal gifts, her products are lovingly assembled in the UK and inspire imaginative play for children aged 3 and up.

Lauren Duncan leads the Ecommerce strategy at Philip Kingsley, the renowned trichology-led haircare brand. With a passion for data-driven growth and customer experience, Lauren combines commercial acumen with a deep understanding of the premium beauty market. She has played a key role in accelerating Philip Kingsley’s digital presence, driving customer acquisition, and expanding its DTC offering across the UK and US. More recently, Lauren is working on digitally transforming their Clinical offering.

Chris Forbes is Co-founder of The Cheeky Panda along with his partner Julie Chen. Cheeky Panda is a Fast Track 100 company, Ranked 13th in the UKs top 100 start-ups the 8th most recognisable sustainable brand in the UK. Chris is passionate about delivering change for good and has been a public speaker with regular features in press and radio helping share the journey and inspire others to become environmental entrepreneurs.  Passionate about building sustainable 21st century companies that have purpose over profit but are still commercially viable entities.   He has been a mentor to several high growth businesses over the past 5 years.

Rob Manning is an accomplished eCommerce and digital marketing leader with over 25 years of experience driving growth for leading global brands across retail, FMCG, and D2C industries. With a proven track record in customer acquisition, retention, and brand building, Rob excels at leveraging data and insights to create innovative strategies that deliver high growth and measurable results.

Rob has a deep understanding of customer behaviours and is passionate about using creativity and technology to transform digital experiences. He has also shared his expertise as a speaker on topics like conversational commerce, retail media innovation, and loyalty strategies, inspiring industry professionals at prominent events, and through digital marketing training with the DMA.

Rob’s extensive experience, coupled with his strategic vision and ability to lead high-performing teams, makes him a sought-after advisor and thought leader in the digital commerce space. He is also a dedicated trustee for a charity, reflecting his commitment to making a positive impact beyond the workplace.

Georgie is the Founder Novello Products and SISTIR.Novello is a company formed of two parts; ‘brands’ and ‘tech’.

The ‘brands’ side is home to consumer facing brands (including SISTIR) through which unique, personalised products are
offered DTC and via 3rd party platforms such as Amazon, Notonthehighstreet, Etsy and
Yumbles. The tech side is home to Novello’s systems which are at the core of their own
operations and power the brands across sales platforms.

Prior to Novello, Georgie held senior marketing and consulting roles within global media giants,
Disney and Hasbro. She had the privilege of growing and nurturing some of the world’s most
beloved brands including Disney Princess, Mickey Mouse, Toy Story and Monopoly.

The development of a brand and bringing it to life via creative marketing strategies and
compelling products, whilst ensuring the consumer remains at the heart of it, has always been a
passion of Georgie’s. She is now relishing the opportunity to draw upon her wealth of experience
and bring it to her own start up.