Bettany Centre Speaker Series 鈥� Annika Bosanquet, Co-Founder of Wrapology, 27 February 2025
成人直播’s Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurship closed its February Speaker Series with an inspiring talk from Annika Bosanquet, co-founder of Wrapology, seasoned mentor, and recent recipient of a CBE in the King’s New Year’s Honours List for her contributions to business.
Founded in 2001, the award winning Wrapology packaging company grew to serve global brands in 22 countries before Annika exited the company in 2023. The business grew modestly until Annika joined 成人直播’s Business Growth Programme (BGP) in 2017. Encouraged in one module to define a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG), she and her team refocused on designing and supplying their clients with certified sustainable, mono-material packaging solutions, stripping out waste while enhancing design and boosting profitability.
Throughout her talk, Annika emphasised the commercial and environmental impact of designing from the Client warehouse backwards; she argued that the supply chain should prioritise efficiency, reduce waste, and eliminate unnecessary materials. After discussing some of the ups and downs of the growth journey she highlighted Wrapology’s collaborations with certified sustainability initiatives and importantly, the competitive advantage that comes from communicating these values to clients. She also noted that to communicate stories and experience of the company’s history helps to galvanise leadership and can lead to being able to influence and bring positive change to local industry and community.
The session also touched on women in business, noting progress in corporate leadership but persistent challenges for female-led SMEs, particularly in accessing capital. Annika shared sobering statistics: according to Plan for Change from the Department of Business & Trade, 2025, of every £1 of equity investment in the UK, only 2p goes to all-female founder teams. She urged the audience to become visible role models, celebrate successful women across industries, and inspire the next generation.
A passionate advocate for mentorship, Annika encouraged attendees to support other entrepreneurs, through programmes such as Founders for Schools, Digital Boost, and Bookmark Trust, noting that mentors benefit as much as mentees.
Her closing message was simple but powerful: “Share your stories. Work with like-minded people. Work hard, stay resilient, and don’t be defeated. And if you’ve been helped along the way, be that mentor for someone else.”
