From Zero to 1 Billion: Exponential growth in the entrepreneurial journey

Join us for an inspiring evening as we delve into the realms of entrepreneurship and exponential growth with Ulric Jerome, BA 00, a distinguished entrepreneur and investor renowned for his role in building two billion-dollar businesses.

On his return to Concordia University, Ulric will tell the story of building two billion-dollar businesses including the challenges and successes along the way.

This event is a cornerstone of the National Bank Initiative in Entrepreneurship & Family Business, designed to ignite passion and provide invaluable insights into the entrepreneurial journey.

Discussion highlights:

• The genesis of a billion-dollar idea: Uncover the origins of Ulric's entrepreneurial ventures and what it takes to conceptualize a billion-dollar business.
• Navigating challenges: Learn about the hurdles Ulric faced on his journey and the resilience required to overcome them.
• Strategies for success: Gain insights into the strategies and business models that propelled Ulric's businesses to achieve exponential growth.
• Visionary leadership: Discover the leadership qualities and decision-making processes that have been crucial to Ulric's success.

Schedule

• 5 p.m. - Doors open
• 5:30 - 7 p.m. - Discussion
• 7 -7:30 p.m. - Informal gathering

Ulric Jerome is an entrepreneur, investor and seasoned CEO based in London whose strategic foresight and leadership have significantly impacted the retail and technology sectors.

With a proven track record of driving businesses towards remarkable growth, Ulric's experiences offer a treasure trove of knowledge for aspiring entrepreneurs and established business owners alike.

From 2013 to 2019, Ulric was CEO of MATCHESFASHION.COM a leading, global, luxury fashion digital player. During his tenure, sales grew from $55 million to $500 million. Ulric led the sale of the company for a reported $1 billion in 2017. From 2020 to 2022, Ulric was an investor and board member of BYREDO AB, a global luxury beauty brand. During his board tenure, Ulric worked on the successful sale of BYREDO to PUIG in 2022 for a reported $1 billion.

From 2016 to 2021, he served on the supervisory board of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange-listed Zooplus AG, the leading European online retailer of pet supplies with €2 billion of sales until the sale of the company to Hellman & Friedman for $ 3.5 billion. Ulric served on the board of LSE-listed Paddy Power plc from 2012 to 2016. During his time as a member of the board of Paddy Power plc, Mr. Jerome worked on the merger with Betfair plc which led to the creation of one of the world’s biggest online betting companies, Flutter Entertainment plc, with a market cap of £30 billion.

From 2002 to 2012, Ulric was a founding partner of PIXmania.COM, a €1 billion revenue pan-European online retailer covering more than 30 product categories and operating in 26 European countries. The business was subsequently sold to Dixons Retail plc in 2006.

Ulric is also an investor in about 20 companies in DTC brands, media, SaaS and BioTech/medical companies and currently sits on the board of the glasses company IZIPIZI, Bruneau the office supply leader in Europe and The Independents, the leading global marketing and communication group in luxury.

Born in Paris, Ulric studied in France before completing his degree in economics in Montréal at Concordia University.