Consumer, retail and tech specialist investment and innovation firm, True is excited to announce that Zillah Byng-Thorne will be joining the team as an Operating Partner. Byng-Thorne's extensive experience in the digital, retail, and tech industries, will further strengthen the firm's ability to add value to its portfolio companies.
Byng-Thorne is a seasoned executive with a proven track record of driving growth and transformation in global companies. Most recently, as CEO of FTSE 250 media and publishing company, Future plc, where she led a successful digital transformation of the business. Under her leadership, Future grew from a market capitalisation of £20 million in April 2014 to 2 billion in March 2023 (S&P Capital IQ) via a wave of successful acquisitions including Blaze Publishing, NewBay Media, Purch, SmartBrief and TI Media. Her deep expertise in deal-making and integration will be a valuable asset to True as the firm continues to invest in and scale disruptive startups and scale-ups in the consumer, retail and tech sectors.
Prior to Future, Byng-Thorne held executive positions at global tech and retail companies. She also served as CFO of Sage Group plc, the UK's largest software company, and held various finance positions at eBay, where she helped to drive the company's international expansion. She is currently Chair of Trustpilot, Chair of M&C Saatchi, and NED of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
"We are thrilled to have Zillah join the True team," said Paul Cocker, CEO and co-founder of True. "It’s undoubtedly a difficult time for the consumer and tech sectors, but the current climate presents an exciting opportunity for the best businesses to emerge strongly in the next phase of the cycle. Zillah‘s vast experience will be hugely valuable in helping True and our existing and future portfolio companies capitalise on that opportunity.”
Byng-Thorne added, "I'm delighted to be joining True at such an exciting time for the firm and the industry. I believe that innovation is key to driving growth and creating value, particularly in today's rapidly changing business landscape – and this innovation will drive exciting investment opportunities over the coming years. I look forward to growing True’s existing businesses and working with the team to bring more future-facing consumer and tech businesses into the True community."
