A return to events

The British Franchise Association’s flagship keynote event returned in June, providing the franchise community with a gateway to international expansion

After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, June saw the return of the bfa’s popular flagship event, Superbrand, which certainly came back with a bang!

Sponsored this year by Barclays, Superbrand brought together the franchising community in order to help brands wanting to take their business to the next level. The event proved to be perfect for established U.K. franchisors looking to expand overseas, as well as international brands wishing to enter the U.K. market.

This year, Superbrand put a focus on education and learning and, during a day packed with information and insights, enabled attendees to tailor sessions to ensure they made the most of what the agenda had to offer. There were also plenty of opportunities for networking, making new connections, and sharing best practices.

The day began with a welcome from the bfa’s CEO, Pip Wilkins. From here, the agenda turned to looking at a post-pandemic world with keynote speaker, Kate Ancketill, CEO and founder of GDR Creative Intelligence. A successful business and retail futurist, Kate took the audience through the metaverse, buyer behaviour trends, and how the latest generation of customers are viewing brands. It was a thought-provoking session and one which sparked plenty of lively conversations among the audience.

The morning’s subsequent line-up of speakers offered advice and guidance in areas such as building a substantial U.K. network, what makes the U.K. market appealing, and practical steps for overseas expansion. A panel of lawyers, expertly led by John Pratt, gave the agenda a truly international edge with representation both on stage and via video call, allowing the audience to find out about important legal considerations for anyone wishing to take their brand global.

The second half of the conference provided a platform for the Superbrand Showcase, where franchisors could share insights and experiences in a different way. Supported by Global Franchise, PartnerWise and Platinum Wave, the showcase was the first event of its kind run by the bfa. An afternoon of informal networking welcomed both those with existing portfolios looking to grow further, as well as entrepreneurs looking to start their franchise journey.

Superbrand is just one of the bfa’s flagship events run each year, and there are plenty more to come in 2022. Empowering Women in Business (EWIB), sponsored by HSBC, makes a return on 22 September in Reading. Launched over a decade ago, EWIB has evolved to become an important event for women in franchising and the wider business community, bringing together an abundance of knowledge and experience. This year’s agenda features exceptional speakers from the world of franchising and beyond, all with inspiring stories to share.

The bfa’s Annual Conference will round up the year on 24 and 25 November in Birmingham, incorporating the bfa HSBC British Franchise Awards, which celebrate the very best in the industry and recognise the dedication, innovation, and devotion of franchisors and franchisees alike.

Details of all upcoming events can be found at thebfa.org