Rebecca Gibson

Bloom & Wild is re-inventing the $60B global flower industry. Over a billion flower exchanges take place every year and industry satisfaction levels are low. Driven by our core belief that you can never care too much or be too thoughtful, we do things a little differently. From inventing letterbox flowers to founding The Thoughtful Marketing Movement. And we’ve seen impressive traction to date. We are Europe’s largest direct to consumer flower company. As the inventor of letterbox flowers, Bloom & Wild is powered by great ideas that are rooted in continuously improving the experience for our customers. On a mission to make sending and receiving flowers the joy it should be for both the sender and the recipient, we promise beautiful, brilliantly-designed letterbox surprises and make-a-statement bouquets. Our flowers are sent as the freshest buds, carefully packed and ready to bloom for arrangements that last. The result is almost 60k five star reviews and the status of the UK’s most-loved online florist. Since launching in 2013 we’ve raised £126m of venture capital and private equity funding from investors including General Catalyst, Index Ventures, Burda Principal Investments and MMC Ventures. We’ve been named one of the 5 fastest growing tech companies in Europe and are alumni of Tech Nation’s Future Fifty. We were also one of the Sunday Times Top 100 Small Companies to Work For 2020. We’ve got a brilliant ideas-led innovation culture. And we’re looking for people from all backgrounds to help drive our next exciting stage of growth. If you’re interested in joining us, please take a look at our open roles on our jobs tab. Bloom & Wild acquired bloomon in April 2021 and Bergamotte in July 2021, cementing our position as Europes leading online flower company. Together, we are active in 8 countries. We are home to a family of 3 strong brands, Bloom & Wild, bloomon and Bergamotte.

Based in London, Orlebar Brown was founded by Adam Brown and launched in March 2007 as a tailored approach to men’s swim shorts. OB Classic swim shorts remain the original and best ‘short you can swim in’, offering something you can wear on the beach or by the pool, yet smart enough to wear to lunch or for a drink. All OB Classic swim shorts are guaranteed for five years for quality you can truly believe in. In 2010, they progressed from beach to resort with a full range of holiday clothes that can also be incorporated into everyday wardrobes, including polos, chinos and shirts. In addition, they offer a Design Your Own service which enables you to create your own bespoke pair of photographic swim shorts using the #SnapShorts app in-store or online. Orlebar Brown has grown into a global brand with an ever-increasing number of international stores, an enviable list of stockists and a burgeoning expansion into ready-to-wear.

UK Private Capital (formerly the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association - BVCA) is the association of the UK private capital industry. We represent 600 firms including the wider ecosystem of professional advisers and investors.   Private capital consists of private equity and venture capital which make long-term investments to grow British businesses and build a better economy. Private credit and venture debt provide active and engaged debt finance to businesses.  The private capital industry backs 13,000 UK businesses, nine in 10 of which are small or medium-sized enterprises. Businesses backed by the industry employ 2.5 million people across the UK and contribute 7% to GDP.  In 2024, £29.4bn was invested by private capital into UK businesses in sectors across the UK economy, ranging from consumer products to emerging technology. This increased investment has fuelled the growth of businesses across the UK, with six in ten (58%) of the businesses backed in 2024, located outside of the capital.  These investments are long term, with an average investment period of six years, in contrast to less than a year in public markets.  UK-based private capital specialists have raised £190bn of funds, known as dry powder, which is expected to be invested over the next three to five years.   The industry invests for a better future by backing some of the UK’s best loved businesses, developing the companies of the future and delivering solutions to global problems. 

Founded over 20 years ago, Oakley Capital was established to be the partner of choice for exceptional founders and entrepreneurs. We invest in private, pan-European businesses with enterprise values ranging from €100 million to over €1 billion, acquiring control or co-control stakes and supporting complex transactions such as carve-outs. Our team comprises more than 250 professionals across our offices in London, Munich, Milan, Madrid, and Luxembourg, providing genuine European reach combined with deep local expertise and cultural insight. Through our differentiated origination capabilities, we uncover attractive investment opportunities across four core sectors: Technology, Consumer, Education, and Business Services. We prioritise long-term, repeat partnerships with outstanding founders, many of whom choose to reinvest in our funds. To date, we have raised nine funds, including Fund VI, which closed at its €4.5 billion hard cap in 2025. Across the Group, Oakley manages in excess of c.€16 billion on behalf of our investors, generating consistently strong returns for all our stakeholders. For more information, please visit: www.oakleycapital.com

Bloom & Wild is re-inventing the $60B global flower industry. Over a billion flower exchanges take place every year and industry satisfaction levels are low. Driven by our core belief that you can never care too much or be too thoughtful, we do things a little differently. From inventing letterbox flowers to founding The Thoughtful Marketing Movement. And we’ve seen impressive traction to date. We are Europe’s largest direct to consumer flower company. As the inventor of letterbox flowers, Bloom & Wild is powered by great ideas that are rooted in continuously improving the experience for our customers. On a mission to make sending and receiving flowers the joy it should be for both the sender and the recipient, we promise beautiful, brilliantly-designed letterbox surprises and make-a-statement bouquets. Our flowers are sent as the freshest buds, carefully packed and ready to bloom for arrangements that last. The result is almost 60k five star reviews and the status of the UK’s most-loved online florist. Since launching in 2013 we’ve raised £126m of venture capital and private equity funding from investors including General Catalyst, Index Ventures, Burda Principal Investments and MMC Ventures. We’ve been named one of the 5 fastest growing tech companies in Europe and are alumni of Tech Nation’s Future Fifty. We were also one of the Sunday Times Top 100 Small Companies to Work For 2020. We’ve got a brilliant ideas-led innovation culture. And we’re looking for people from all backgrounds to help drive our next exciting stage of growth. If you’re interested in joining us, please take a look at our open roles on our jobs tab. Bloom & Wild acquired bloomon in April 2021 and Bergamotte in July 2021, cementing our position as Europes leading online flower company. Together, we are active in 8 countries. We are home to a family of 3 strong brands, Bloom & Wild, bloomon and Bergamotte.

Based in London, Orlebar Brown was founded by Adam Brown and launched in March 2007 as a tailored approach to men’s swim shorts. OB Classic swim shorts remain the original and best ‘short you can swim in’, offering something you can wear on the beach or by the pool, yet smart enough to wear to lunch or for a drink. All OB Classic swim shorts are guaranteed for five years for quality you can truly believe in. In 2010, they progressed from beach to resort with a full range of holiday clothes that can also be incorporated into everyday wardrobes, including polos, chinos and shirts. In addition, they offer a Design Your Own service which enables you to create your own bespoke pair of photographic swim shorts using the #SnapShorts app in-store or online. Orlebar Brown has grown into a global brand with an ever-increasing number of international stores, an enviable list of stockists and a burgeoning expansion into ready-to-wear.