We sit down with Andreas Adamides, CEO of Helm – the UK’s leading private network for scale-up Founders and CEOs – who explains why it is the business leaders who operate with clarity and discipline in 2026 that will remain ahead of the curve.
SCALING SUCCESS
As the UK’s largest networking organisation exclusively for high-growth business founders and CEOs, Helm brings together more than 400 members with a combined revenue exceeding £8 billion.
Its members’ businesses range across countless industries, from software as a service (SaaS) and BioTech to manufacturing and retail.
The organisation provides a trusted peer community, data-driven insights, and strategic resources to help founders lead more effectively, scale sustainably, and stay ahead in an unpredictable world.
Andreas Adamides, CEO, discusses how the founders who will thrive this year will be the ones who simplify, focus, and invest where the return is real.
Q&A WITH ANDREAS ADMIDES, CEO, HELM
With this year heralding a more complex business growth environment than ever before, what strategies would you say are defining 2026 for UK scale-up Founders and CEOs?
Andreas Admides, CEO (AA):
- Profitable growth over headline growth – In 2026, UK scale-up founders are prioritising margin quality, cash discipline, and sustainable unit economics. Growth still matters, but only when it strengthens the business rather than flattering the top line.
- Resilience as a core strategy – Founders are building organisations designed for constant volatility, with flexible cost bases, deeper leadership teams, and the ability to make fast decisions in uncertain conditions.
- Technology and talent as force multipliers – The strongest founders and CEOs are using artificial intelligence (AI) to drive productivity and insight, whilst upgrading leadership talent, recognising that disciplined execution now beats bold vision in a more complex growth environment.
Can you share specific examples of scale-ups growing faster by simplifying rather than expanding?
AA: Helm member Nick Barton is a Founder, Advisor, and Investor with nearly 30 years of recruitment industry experience.
Since 2007, he has built The Barton Partnership into a world-class specialist executive talent solutions firm, expanding across multiple locations and service lines whilst maintaining a niche and specialist focus.
The firm doubled its profits by sharpening its focus rather than broadening its footprint.
A disciplined key account strategy allowed The Barton Partnership to deepen client partnerships and concentrate on areas where its expertise had the greatest impact.
By staying specialist, leveraging a global platform, and moving up the value chain, the firm reduced complexity and achieved more consistent, scalable growth.
What would you say are Helm’s top Founder and CEO success stories so far, and what role has Helm played in enabling them to grow?
AA: Helm has helped to create countless founder success stories by rejecting the myth of the heroic, isolated founder.
Founders who actively tap into peer intelligence make better decisions faster, avoid expensive mistakes, and spot opportunities earlier.
In volatile markets, shared experience isn’t a luxury. It’s a force multiplier that separates those who survive from those who scale.
EO: Looking ahead, how best can these businesses scale effectively and stay ahead in an unpredictable world?
AA: The businesses that scale well stay focused. They deliver consistently high-quality client service, remain clear on what they do exceptionally well, and resist the temptation to dilute their proposition.
Embracing AI as an efficiency lever is increasingly essential, creating capacity for higher-value work.
In uncertain markets, scale doesn’t come from hedging your bets; it comes from clarity, execution, and the confidence to make deliberate choices.
MEMBER SUCCESS STORIES
Just a small handful of Helm’s many successful business leaders, the organisation is proud to count the following amongst its established members:
- Steve Phillips, Founder of the pioneering technology company and consumer insights platform, Zappi.
- Dominic Joseph, co-Founder of Captify, the privacy-first search intelligence platform.
- Rob Hamilton, Founder of The Instant Group, is delivering agile real estate solutions.
- Robert Ginsberg, Founder of HiB – a leader in bathroom innovation, providing customers with stylish, functional, and inspiring solutions.
- John Stapleton, co-Founder of the nation’s favourite fresh soup brand, the New Covent Garden Soup Co.
