Incipio Group has appointed Ian Edward as chairman.
Edward has served as non-executive director for the London-based bar operation since 2022. He has advised and invested in leisure businesses for over 30 years, as co-founder of Hippo Inns and a founding investor of Pizza Pilgrims, where he also holds a position on the board.
His previous directorships include Geronimo Inns, La Tasca, and Brasserie Blanc, while advisory transactions include the sale of the New World Trading Company, Loch Fyne, and fundraisings for Pho and Be At One.
Edward is also an investor in Thunderbird Fried Chicken and Double Dutch.
Incipio’s venues in London include Pergola on the Wharf, The Libertine, and The Prince. Earlier this year, the group reported its strongest ever month of trading in December 2023, with like-for-like sales up 66% on the same period last year contributing to a record year in sales of £26.4m.
Incipio Group chief executive Ed Devenport said: “I am delighted and very excited about Ian’s appointment as Chairman. Ian has a wealth of knowledge and specific experience in our sector that will be of great value to Incipio at a crucial time as we begin the next phase of our growth plans.”
Edward added: “From the moment I saw the transformation of The Prince in West Brompton from a quiet neglected pub into a busy, vibrant and spectacularly successful house of fun, I knew that Incipio was special. As one of the most innovative companies I have seen in our sector, we are well placed to take advantage of several extraordinary opportunities, and I look forward to working even more closely with such a great team.”
