Michael Bristow

Growth Strategy is a boutique strategy consultancy focused on accelerating growth for private equity and venture capital portfolio companies.

We combine top-tier quant-driven insights, decades of strategic advisory experience, high growth business leader/operator track record and PE/VC investor mindset to drive transformational value creation with hands-on execution. We specialise in defining clear and differentiated growth strategies, aligning the operating model/execution and rallying… Show more

Growth Strategy is a boutique strategy consultancy focused on accelerating growth for private equity and venture capital portfolio companies.

We combine top-tier quant-driven insights, decades of strategic advisory experience, high growth business leader/operator track record and PE/VC investor mindset to drive transformational value creation with hands-on execution. We specialise in defining clear and differentiated growth strategies, aligning the operating model/execution and rallying people together with an entrepreneurial, action-oriented mindset in complex environments to drive results.

Broad sector expertise including: • Technology-enabled businesses • Marketplace Businesses • B2B SaaS • Real Estate • Proptech • Financial Services • Fintech • Consumer Goods • Retail • B2B2C Supply Chains • Hotels & Leisure • Transport & Logistics • Government • Utilities

We also leverage our investor-minded approach to back high potential early stage businesses, also giving us advisory insight into the cutting edge of digital thinking. Over 10+ years, we've made over 35 direct investments (and >100 more through VC funds) in AI-centric/tech-led B2B SaaS scalable businesses with strong founding teams across PropTech (P), FinTech (F), MedTech (M), AdTech (A), EdTech (E) and Consumer Products (CP), including:

CrowdProperty (F/P), Nestflow (F/P), Lucky Saint (CP), Land Insight / LandTech (P), Hubble (P), Office R&D (P), AirSorted/Houst (P), Landbay (F/P), Scrub AI (F/AI), UnTap Software (F/AI), Advisory AI (F/AI), Trubrics (AI/P/F), HandsInn (F), Exciting Instruments (M), Quantified Imaging (M/AI), YourWelcome (P), Switchee (P), Propoly (P), Urban Intelligence (P), Falcon DHQ (P), AskPorter (P), Rialto (P), Youtility (F), Movem (P), Den (CP), No Agent/Howsy (P), Infabode (P), Rentuu / EasyToolHire (P), Syndicate Room (F), Zzish (E), Media Gamma / Nozzle AI (A), Words Won't Do (A), Active Needle (M), Hibergene (M), Saltee Skincare (CP). Show less

Strategic advisor to Dutch fintech Nestflow.

• Led the international expansion of fintech/proptech disruptor and UK market leader CrowdProperty into Australia in 2021 after 18 months of planning (www.crowdproperty.com.au)
• Board member and advisor to the CrowdProperty Australia executive and team
• Read more on CrowdProperty Australia's Blog: https://blog.crowdproperty.com.au/

• Member of Enterprise 100 ("E100"), a unique angel investment network which operates out of London Business School to bridge the gap between the entrepreneurial, academic and commercial worlds
• Established in 1999, the Club is distinct in its business model and by-invitation only membership
• Nominated as Best Angel Network by Investor AllStars (2012), Enterprise 100 is recognised as one of the leading business angel groups in the UK

Innovate Finance, the industry body representing UK FinTech, has launched the 36H Group, a new Group representing lending platforms that accept retail investments, providing a unified voice now that standards are set by the Financial Conduct Authority. CrowdProperty (www.crowdproperty.com) is a founding member alongside Funding Circle, Lending Works, RateSetter and Zopa.

Named after Article 36H of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to reflect that member platforms are fully… Show more

Innovate Finance, the industry body representing UK FinTech, has launched the 36H Group, a new Group representing lending platforms that accept retail investments, providing a unified voice now that standards are set by the Financial Conduct Authority. CrowdProperty (www.crowdproperty.com) is a founding member alongside Funding Circle, Lending Works, RateSetter and Zopa.

Named after Article 36H of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to reflect that member platforms are fully authorised by the FCA, the launch of the 36H Group follows the implementation of enhanced regulations which raise standards across the sector. The Group will focus on policy and regulatory matters and promote the benefits the sector is delivering; including bringing choice, competition and transparency to the lending and investment markets.

The Group succeeds the Peer-to-Peer Finance Association (P2PFA) – a self-regulatory body established in 2011 to lobby for regulation, of which CrowdProperty was an active member alongside other peer-to-peer sector leaders. Following the introduction of the first regulatory regime by the FCA in 2014, the P2PFA set high-operating standards that went above and beyond the regulations on areas such as credit risk management and disclosure. With the majority of these Operating Principles included in the new enhanced regime, the P2PFA has achieved its objective of ensuring robust and appropriate consumer protection.

The lending platform sector – a pioneer in the UK’s thriving FinTech sector – has opened up access to lending as a mainstream investment class to consumers for the first time. Retail investors can earn stable and attractive returns by lending directly through these platforms to creditworthy borrowers, including consumers, small businesses and house builders. The industry has delivered several hundred million pounds of interest for investors in the UK, including within the tax-free wrapper of the Innovative Finance ISA.

More: bit.ly/2R6bi7M
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Co-Founder and Chair at The Cooperative Property Company, a property investment company to acquire, optimise and operate high-yielding residential property in London.

The Peer-to-Peer Finance Association (P2PFA / www.p2pfa.org.uk) was established in 2011 as a representative and self-regulatory body for peer-to-peer lending in the United Kingdom. The P2PFA seeks to inform and educate, promote high standards of business conduct (primarily through the P2PFA’s Operating Principles) and work with policy-makers and regulators to ensure an effective regulatory regime. CrowdProperty is the only property development P2P platform member and sits alongside Funding… Show more

The Peer-to-Peer Finance Association (P2PFA / www.p2pfa.org.uk) was established in 2011 as a representative and self-regulatory body for peer-to-peer lending in the United Kingdom. The P2PFA seeks to inform and educate, promote high standards of business conduct (primarily through the P2PFA’s Operating Principles) and work with policy-makers and regulators to ensure an effective regulatory regime. CrowdProperty is the only property development P2P platform member and sits alongside Funding Circle, Zopa, Market Invoice and five other leading platforms on the P2PFA board.
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• Grew a small boutique consultancy business working across sectors with private equity portfolio businesses, mid-cap to large-scale corporates and developing a strategy proposition to the real estate sector
• Specialisms in B2C, B2B2C and B2B strategy development including value-creation strategies, market/sector expansion strategies, private equity deal/post transaction advisory and global / urban economics for corporates, investment houses and the real estate sector worldwide, founded on… Show more

• Grew a small boutique consultancy business working across sectors with private equity portfolio businesses, mid-cap to large-scale corporates and developing a strategy proposition to the real estate sector
• Specialisms in B2C, B2B2C and B2B strategy development including value-creation strategies, market/sector expansion strategies, private equity deal/post transaction advisory and global / urban economics for corporates, investment houses and the real estate sector worldwide, founded on heavy quant and analytical modelling
• Sectors covered include:
- Private Equity
- Consumer Goods
- Real Estate
- Hotels & Leisure
- Retail
- B2B2C Supply Chains
- Marketplaces
- Software Show less

Arcadian Capital Partners is a management buy-in fund – an investment vehicle with the objective to locate, acquire and actively manage a healthy, privately held business. The fund is based on the US 'Search Fund' model (shown by Stanford Graduate School of Business to return 37% IRR on average across US funds).

Arcadian Capital Partners seeks to acquire a consumer or business services business with £5-£15m revenue and 10%+ EBITDA.

Advisor in mobile advertising disruptive scale-up.

• Broad functional exposure running project teams in business strategy/transformation, private equity transaction advisory, market/sector expansion strategies, proposition development, operational performance improvement and cost transformation
• Experience working at Board level for major UK and International consumer businesses and with investment teams at top private equity firms
• Specific functional experience across:
- Revenue development including international expansion… Show more

• Broad functional exposure running project teams in business strategy/transformation, private equity transaction advisory, market/sector expansion strategies, proposition development, operational performance improvement and cost transformation
• Experience working at Board level for major UK and International consumer businesses and with investment teams at top private equity firms
• Specific functional experience across:
- Revenue development including international expansion, strategic & tactical repositioning, product/service extension, channel extension / expansion / integration, customer acquisition / retention, tactical optimisation
- Profit growth including pricing optimisation, product rationalisation, procurement, operational efficiency, fixed cost transformation
- M&A including buy-side and sell-side commercial due diligence (detailed market, competitor, customer, proposition analysis), synergy assessment/realisation, business plan assessment, business planning and forecasting, business valuation, company/country-specific cost of capital assessment
• Sectors covered include:
- Private Equity
- Consumer Goods
- Retail & eCommerce
- Hotels & Leisure
- B2B2C Supply Chains Show less

• Broad functional exposure with wide-ranging project experience in business strategy/transformation, private equity transaction advisory, market/sector expansion strategies, proposition development, capital investment planning, operational performance improvement and cost transformation
• Experience working at Board level and with client teams across multiple sectors across Europe, US and Asia
• Sectors covered include:
- Private equity (transaction advisory)
- Consumer… Show more

• Broad functional exposure with wide-ranging project experience in business strategy/transformation, private equity transaction advisory, market/sector expansion strategies, proposition development, capital investment planning, operational performance improvement and cost transformation
• Experience working at Board level and with client teams across multiple sectors across Europe, US and Asia
• Sectors covered include:
- Private equity (transaction advisory)
- Consumer (retail, consumer goods & leisure/entertainment)
- Financial Services
- Manufacturing & B2B2C Supply Chains
- Transportation & Logistics (ground & aviation)
- Utilities Show less

• Overall experience in corporate and business unit strategies, financial analysis, financial modelling, business planning, market analysis, research (quantitative and qualitative), synthesis of complex problems, performance improvement, technology development/deployment and operational delivery of projects, working closely with client teams on client sites
• Extensive team and project management experience, managing internal and external teams of up to 10, developing relationships with and… Show more

• Overall experience in corporate and business unit strategies, financial analysis, financial modelling, business planning, market analysis, research (quantitative and qualitative), synthesis of complex problems, performance improvement, technology development/deployment and operational delivery of projects, working closely with client teams on client sites
• Extensive team and project management experience, managing internal and external teams of up to 10, developing relationships with and delivering results to top-team executives in both private and public sectors Show less

Start-up investor, director and advisor in a bespoke suit tailoring firm. Sold to a competitor in 2005.

Founded, developed and sold 'Vodbull UK Ltd', a student-facing entertainment company. Grew to £500k turnover trading throughout the UK. Business sold in 2002.

Debt Capital Markets Internship

University sponsorship & internship