Social Impact
Warpaint aims for inclusivity with its products and encourages and promotes diversity, equality of pay and opportunity across the Group. The health, safety and wellbeing of our workforce is of paramount importance, and we seek to support and benefit the wider community where possible.
Our Employees and Equal Opportunities
The Group has an extremely loyal and diverse workforce and promotes equality of pay and opportunity throughout. The Group has a low staff churn rate, and employees are encouraged and nurtured to attain positions to the best of their ability, with promotions made from within wherever possible, offering staff mobility from the warehouse floor to administrative roles and managerial positions. A reward structure is in place, which includes the grant of share options, enabling members of staff to participate in the growth of the Company, as appropriate.
Employee communication is encouraged throughout the Group both on an informal basis and through regular departmental meetings, where input from colleagues is welcomed in any area. Communication is key and the open-door policy operated by the Group and regular meetings enable this. Whilst the board does not have a formal policy or targets for diversity, it consists of three female members and members from a variety of cultural backgrounds. It is very aware of the importance of diversity and the benefits it brings in attitude and outlook. Diversity is always considered when any appointments are made to the board.
The Group’s employment policy is set out in the Directors’ Report. At senior management level there are 13 female managers and nine male managers, excluding the board. Throughout the Group, the proportion of female to male employees is approximately 65% to 35%.
Communities, Education and Charitable Causes
Wherever possible, the Group employs staff from the local areas and encourages the use of car sharing and public transport to reduce the impact on local roads. The times of our incoming and outgoing deliveries are managed to limit any disturbance to residents in the local area. As a rule, the Group uses local trade’s people for goods and services creating employment and income within the area.
Badgequo actively works with certain universities to support the work of students studying cosmetic science. Badgequo’s Regulatory, New Product Development and Marketing teams lecture predominantly at Sunderland University, enabling the business to give real life and practical information to students as they embark on the transition year from student to industry. As part of this, Badgequo employs one gap year student each year to work in the business and gain this experience firsthand. This relationship with the cosmetic industry’s educational bodies has been very well received and allows the business to support the future talent stream.
In addition to supporting a number of local and national charities and events each year, the Group has recently aligned with and made long-term commitments to several chosen charities working with young people and people living with cancer.
· “iHeart” – Warpaint has along-term commitment to support a young person’s mental health charity, “iHeart”, with a donation of funds and visits to schools in Greater London. This charity supports young people by providing a range of courses and programmes on mental health education, resilience and wellbeing.
· “Look Good Feel Better” –This charity runs wellbeing workshops and classes for people living with cancerand is supported by the Group by money raising and the donation of sampleproducts. Fundraising and support will continue across 2024.
· Current primary school education and the wider market is limited in sustainability content that ignites an interest in children and sparks an appetite for further learning. UK based company Anniemals have created a book that helps children to understand the impact of plastic on the environment through the magic of storytelling. Warpaint became an established corporate partner of Anniemals and has funded book donations to primary schools close to the Silsden office.
Diverse Products
Warpaint recognises the importance of its products to its consumers whatever their gender, sexuality or racial background and seek to ensure they are inclusive for all. Cosmetic and skincare products are developed for every skin tone, with a wide range of shades aiming to make them as inclusive and affordable as possible.
Clive Garston
Non-Executive Chairman
Appointed November 2016. Clive has been a corporate lawyer for over 40 years specialising in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions and is currently a consultant at Fladgate LLP. He has sat on the boards of a number of public and private companies and has been the deputy chairman of a fully-listed company and chairman of a number of other AIM companies. Clive has significant experience in small and medium quoted companies. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI). Skills: Corporate finance, legal, public companies and markets, corporate governance
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 which gave Sam an invaluable insight into consumer needs. 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 fragrances. 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. Skills: Co-Founder of W7, entrepreneurship, industry knowledge and experience
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 fragrances 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. Skills: Co-Founder of W7, entrepreneurship, industry knowledge and experience
Neil Rodol
Chief Financial Officer
Neil joined the Group in August 2015, having previously been an adviser to the business for several years and was appointed to the board as Chief Financial Officer in November 2016. Prior to joining the business he was involved in several corporate purchases and acquisitions, selling his publishing company in 2006 to a quoted group and becoming the group’s licensing director; completing a management buyout in 2014. Neil trained as an accountant at BDO Stoy Hayward and holds an honours degree in Maths and Computer Science. Skills: Financial skills, industry and public company experience
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 was the Corporate Finance, Legal and Regulatory Officer & Company Secretary of AIM quoted Diaceutics plc, a technology and solutions provider to the pharmaceutical industry from May 2020 to May 2025. Sally is a solicitor and has previously practised as a corporate lawyer, and has many years’ experience providing company secretarial services to private and public companies in the UK including then AIM quoted, Osmetech plc. Sally holds an honours degree in law from Manchester Metropolitan University. Skills: Legal, company secretarial and public company experience
Paul Hagon
Executive Director
Paul joined the Group as a Non-Executive Director in November 2016, subsequently becoming an executive director on 1 January 2021, the effective date of renewal of the Company’s strategic consultancy agreement with Ward & Hagon Management LLP. 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 between 2014-2016, where he has been a board member for 20 years. Skills: Retail and wholesale business experience and strategic planning
Keith Sadler
Non-Executive Director
Keith joined the Group as a Non-Executive Director in November 2016. He is a non-executive director of 4Global PLC a data driven sports participation company, and Chairman of HR Dept. Limited, a professional services business. 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. Skills: Financial skills, communications and public company experience
Sharon Daly
Non-Executive Director
Sharon joined the Group as a Non-Executive Director on 1 January 2024 and has more than 25 years of experience within the healthcare industry, predominantly in marketing, international sales and business development roles. 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 IPO on AIM in 2014. Sharon is an Independent non-executive director at AIM listed Brickability Group Plc, and is also an independent non-executive director at AIM listed Gear4Music Plc, where she is a member of the Audit and Remuneration Committee. Skills: Marketing, Sales, Entrepreneurship and public company experience.
Indira Thambiah
Non-Executive Director
Indira joined the Group as a Non-Executive Director on 1 January 2024, and 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), and is currently an independent non-executive director and Remuneration Committee Chair at Card Factory Plc and Senior Independent Director and Audit Committee Chair at Vivo Barefoot Ltd. Indira is a qualified Chartered Accountant. Skills: Retail, digital, direct to consumer (D2C) and public company experience.
