Our co-founders, who remain as CEO and Managing Director, first went into partnership in 1992 buying and selling close-out and excess stock of cosmetics and fragrances. As the Group’s growing customer base wanted a complete range of cosmetics across all colourways and formats, in 2002 Sam and Eoin decided to create the Group’s first own brand, named W7 after the prefix of the Company’s postcode in West London. In 2008, the Group’s focus turned to this own-brand proposition and the creation of an extensive range of high-quality cosmetics for eyes, lips, nails and faces at affordable prices. The Company was floated on AIM in 2016. With the acquisition of Retra in 2017, the Group entered the gifting market.
2020 was a landmark year for the Group, having established a foothold in the off-price segment, the Group launched into full price retail with Tesco and Wilko, with a further launch into Boots in 2022.
Warpaint launched into the US, the world’s largest market for colour cosmetics, in 2014 and first started selling online with Amazon in 2020, launching e-commerce on its own websites in the same year.
Except for 2020, sales of W7 products have grown organically every year since its inception.
The Warpaint group sells branded cosmetics under the lead brand names of W7 and Technic. W7 is sold in the UK primarily to retailers and internationally to local distributors or retail chains. The Technic brand is sold in the UK and continental Europe with a significant focus on the gifting market, principally for high street retailers and supermarkets. In addition, Warpaint supplies own brand white label cosmetics produced for several major high street retailers. The Group also sells cosmetics using its other brand names of Man’stuff, Body Collection, and Chit Chat.
The Group has mostly grown organically since the IPO in 2016, acquiring the Retra business in 2017, which brought the Technic brand and gifting capabilities to the Group. The further acquisition in 2018 of Marvin Leeds Marketing brought in-house the Group’s US sales and marketing team. The Group operates under a single divisional structure.
“Our Mission is to ensure everyone has access to high quality cosmetics at an affordable price”
Clive Garston
Non-Executive Chairman
Clive has been Non-Executive Chairman of the Group since November 2016. He has been a corporate lawyer for over 40 years specialising in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions, and he is currently a consultant at Fladgate LLP. He is chairman of AIM listed Fulcrum Metals plc and has been on the boards of a number of public and private companies. He has also been the deputy chairman of a fully-listed company and chairman of a number of other AIM companies. He has significant experience in small and medium quoted companies. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI).
Samuel Bazini
Chief Executive Officer
On leaving school at 16, Sam started work in a cosmetics warehouse, supplementing his income by selling cosmetics directly to the public at numerous London street markets. Selling directly to the public gave him an invaluable insight into consumer needs and in 1981 at the age of 18, using £500 he had saved he set up his own business, buying and selling close-out and end of line cosmetics and fragrance. During the course of the next ten years, Sam and Eoin’s paths crossed on numerous occasions, working intermittently with each other on a joint venture basis until they formally went into business together in 1992. Together with Eoin Macleod, Sam developed the business which resulted in the formation of W7.
Eoin Macleod
Managing Director
Eoin’s first introduction to the world of beauty was at the age of 14 through a Saturday job in an indoor market selling cosmetics and perfumes. After leaving college, Eoin decided to set up his own business selling fragrance directly to the public through London street markets as well as selling into the wholesale sector and then expanding into selling cosmetics. In 1992 he formally went into business with Sam operating initially in the close-out cosmetics and fragrance industry. Together with Sam Bazini, Eoin developed the business which resulted in the formation of W7.
Neil Rodol
Chief Financial Officer
Neil joined the Group in August 2015, having previously been an adviser to the business for several years. He has overseen the introduction of new systems and procedures. He joined the board as Chief Financial Officer in November 2016. Over the last 17 years he has been involved in several corporate purchase and acquisitions. In 2006, he sold his publishing company to a quoted group and became the group licensing director; in 2014 he completed a management buyout. Neil trained as an account at BDO Stoy Hayward and holds an honours degree in Maths and Computer Science.
Sally Craig
General Counsel and Company Secretary
Sally has been Company Secretary to Warpaint London plc since February 2017 and was appointed to the board in September 2018. She is also the Corporate Finance, Legal and Regulatory Officer & Company Secretary of Diaceutics plc, an AIM listed diagnostic commercialisation company for the precision medicine industry. She is a solicitor and has previously practised as a corporate lawyer. She has many years’ experience providing company secretarial services to private and public companies in the UK including then AIM listed, Osmetech plc. She holds an honours degree in law from Manchester Metropolitan University.
Paul Hagon
Executive Director
Paul joined the Group as a Non-Executive Director in November 2016. Having worked in the Grocery Sector for over 30 years in both wholesaling and major branded suppliers, Paul is currently providing consultancy services for a number of retail, manufacturing and wholesale businesses to assist with strategies, change programmes and the implementation of practical business plans. Prior to this, Paul has worked in selling, marketing and business management roles with Nestle and more recently, Palmer and Harvey, where his latter role was as Group Strategy and Development Director. Paul has also served as Chairman of the Association of Convenience Stores for whom he had also been a board member for 20 years.
Sharon Daly
Non-Executive Director
Sharon joined the Group as a Non-Executive Director on 1 January 2024. She has more than 25 years of experience within the healthcare industry, predominantly in marketing, international sales and business development roles. Having previously worked for a leading dental manufacturer for seven years, Sharon also spent five years within the international business development field with Sinclair Pharmaceuticals. Sharon co-founded Venture Life Group in 2010 and made a significant contribution to the growth of the business from inception, until she left in 2023, including its admission to trading on AIM in 2014. Sharon is also an Independent non-executive director at AIM listed Brickability Group Plc, where she is a member of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Remuneration Committee.
Indira Thambiah
Non-Executive Director
Indira joined the Group as a Non-Executive Director on 1 January 2024. She is an experienced multi-channel retail executive and consultant, with previous roles including Head of Multi-Channel for Home Retail Group (Argos & Homebase). She has successfully managed several private businesses, most recently Roof-maker (CEO, 2018 to 2022). Indira has also been an independent non-executive director and member of the Remuneration Committee at each of Superdry plc (2010 to 2013) and Yorkshire Building Society (2007 to 2010). She is currently an independent non-executive director and Renumeration Committee Chair at Card Factory Plc and an independent non-executive director and Audit Committee Chair at Vivo Barefoot Ltd. Indira is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
Keith Sadler
Non-Executive Director
Keith joined the Group as a Non-Executive Director in November 2016. He is CFO of 4Global PLC a data driven sports participation company, Chairman of HR Dept. Limited, a professional services business, and Hawking PLC (in Administration), a cash shell. Historically, Keith has been CEO or CFO of a number of quoted companies in the marketing services, telecoms and media industries. Keith is a chartered accountant and holds an honours degree in economics from the University of Kent.
