Challenger Chats Tamweel

Season II of Challenger Chats has officially landed! A collection of raw, unfiltered conversations with the movers and shakers behind the UK's best and brightest Challenger Brands.
 
Kicking off Season II in style, we’re thrilled to have Rod McKie in the hot seat - one of the UK’s most experienced hospitality operators with a resume that reads like a who’s who of the hospitality world – cutting his teeth at TGI Friday’s, subsequently working alongside industry legend Julian Metcalfe at Pret a Manger and then spending 14 years at the helm of Welcome Break. For the past decade he’s shared his experience and insights with several of the UK’s hottest hospitality brands, either as non-exec director or Chair, working with the likes of Megan’s, Sticks ‘n’Sushi, rhubarb and New World Trading Company.
  
So, if you’re an aspiring non exec, or just want to listen to a captivating story, then you don’t want to miss this one.
 
Dial up the volume, kick back and enjoy!
 
  
Links:
  
Megan’s: https://megans.co.uk/
 
New World Trading Company: https://nwtc.uk.com/
 
Sticks‘n’Sushi: https://sticksnsushi.com/
 
Welcome Break: https://www.welcomebreak.co.uk/
 
Rhubarb Hospitality Collection: https://rhchospitality.com/
 
 
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 Our fantastic show producer is Fina Charleson. Find out more about her work at https://www.finacharleson.com

A conversation with Nisha Katona MBE, Founder and CEO of Mowgli Street Food and best selling recipe book author. Nisha has built one of the UK’s most exciting restaurant brands in Mowgli. It has blossomed into a business of scale with a loyal and cult following. It’s focus on staff welfare, community and job creation makes it one of the sector’s leading ESG operators; whilst also smashing it commercially in the fast casual sector.

A conversation with Joanne Mathews, Founder and CEO of Ten Health & Fitness, a leading wellness business that bridges the gap between the medical community and fitness markets. We talk through the origins of Ten as a result of an unfortunate but ultimately happy accident, Jo’s fundraising journey, and how it’s made her a more effective leader, and take a deep dive into the current state of the fitness and wellness sector.

A conversation with Noam Bar, co-founder of Ottolenghi, one of the UK’s most well-known food brands. A brand inspired and influenced by the shared Israeli and Palestinian roots of its co-founders, Noam Bar, Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. We talk through Noam’s 20 year journey with Ottolenghi, from its origins as a cosy neighbourhood deli in Notting Hill and its evolution into a global lifestyle brand and pioneer of plant based cooking whilst navigating the perils and opportunities of brand extension.

A conversation with hospitality sector legend Robin Rowland OBE. Robin boasts a long and varied career in hospitality, as operator (perhaps best known for taking YO! Sushi from 2 to over 100 units) and more recently as investor with global private equity fund TriSpan. In a wide ranging conversation he shares amongst other things his insights into the future of hospitality in a post-Covid world, and how he approaches the sensitive topic of valuations in such a volatile climate. This is one not to miss!

A conversation with Matt Grech-Smith, co-founder of Swingers, one of the movers and shakers in the world of Competitive Socialising. We talk about the meteoric rise of the Swingers brand, Matt's experience of raising capital from Cain International, and why they think they'll succeed in the US where others have failed.