14th July 2026
Last month, we welcomed founders, CEOs, Chairs and senior leaders from across the FPE portfolio for our 10th annual Growth Conference.
This year's theme - Has the world really changed? - reflected a question many leadership teams are asking today. As AI continues to influence the way software, data and services businesses operate, the focus was on what that means in practice for our portfolio companies in terms of strategy, leadership, investment, and growth.
The conference focused on three areas:
- AI - How does technology change strategy?
- Sensing in a time of uncertainty - how companies make decisions when the path ahead isn't always clear.
- Scenario planning and growth options - turning strategic thinking into practical choices for long-term growth.
Jessica Spungin, Adjunct Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School, challenged us all to think differently about strategy, decision-making, and organisational choices in a changing environment.
Jonathan Burrows, founder of ASK4 Group and an experienced technology CEO and Chair, shared his experience of building and scaling technology businesses through multiple stages of growth.
There were updates from across the FPE team on AI in the portfolio and creating value through M&A, alongside a panel discussion led by Chris Kay and members of FPE's Senior Adviser network. Drawing on their experience across software, data and services businesses, the panel looked at how AI is changing engineering, data, commercial models and finance, and what that means for management teams focused on creating long-term value.
Dr Jack Kreindler joined us as our dinner speaker, bringing a different perspective on leadership, resilience and performance drawn from his work as a physician, entrepreneur and explorer.
If there was one takeaway from the two days, it was that while technology continues to evolve, the fundamentals of building a great business remain the same: strong leadership, clear strategy, and disciplined execution.
See the highlights from the event below.