WHEN: 7:30pm, March 9th (Monday)
WHERE: Keble College, Arco Jean Robinson Room
HOW: REGISTER your interest http://tinyurl.com/LarryBillett
Join the Oxford Guild Business Society as we welcome Larry Billett, director and former Chairman of Pret A Manger, for our last fantastic speaker event of term.
Pret A Manger offers handmade, ethically-sourced food, with all sandwiches and wraps being freshly prepared daily in-store using natural ingredients. It has managed to retain its unique culture and strong branding over the years since it was founded in 1986, and is a familiar store on all high streets.
This is a unique opportunity to hear from such a high-profile figure in the world of business, as well as being able to ask questions in an intimate forum. We highly recommend that anybody with any leaning towards the world of business, private equity, finance and entrepreneurship attend.
Pret’s journey to success has not been a smooth one. Pret’s creators met while studying property law at the Polytechnic of Central London (now the University of Westminster), and opened their first Pret in Victoria in Central London in 1986, with a £17,000 loan. New management took over in 2001, following which the business ran into trouble.
In 2008, Chairman Larry Billett, a former Salomon’s investment banker, led a new management team (including one of the original members), secured private equity backing, and transformed Pret A Manger into the global success it has become today.
This promises to be a really inspiring talk. In the past, Billett has emphasized the importance of learning from mistakes and adaptation as key to any company’s success. We expect to hear many more pieces of advice that could only come from someone so experienced in the consumer field. Private equity, management buyouts, turnaround situations and the effect of the credit crunch are all a part of the Pret story.
WHEN: 7:30pm, March 9th (Monday)
WHERE: Keble College, Arco Jean Robinson Room
HOW: REGISTER your interest http://tinyurl.com/LarryBillett
