Having spent more than two decades at SLG Brands, Beresford has stepped into the role of CEO as founder Miles Dunkley moves into a Non-Executive Director position. Her focus is on building on the strong foundations Dunkley established, while sharpening SLG’s focus on identifying, developing and scaling the next generation of beauty brands.

“Having spent more than two decades at SLG Brands and having had the privilege of developing my career here, it’s an absolute honour to now lead the company into its next chapter,” says Beresford. “Miles Dunkley built an exceptional foundation, and my focus is on building from that strength.”

“Our priority is to further establish SLG as the partner of choice for creators, founders and brands. We’ll continue investing in our unique incubation capabilities to identify opportunities earlier, build stronger brands faster and create value for our partners, consumers and stakeholders.”

The next generation of beauty

The sale of COLAB Dry Shampoo and Johnny’s Chop Shop marks a significant milestone for SLG. Both brands were built from insights into unmet consumer needs, developed from the ground up and grown into established international businesses.

“Having reached a level of maturity, the timing was right for them to become part of an organisation equipped to accelerate that journey,” Beresford explains.

“For SLG, the transaction creates the exciting opportunity to reinvest our expertise into the next generation of beauty,” Beresford says. “It’s SLG at its best. It’s a galvanising time for us.”

As SLG enters its next chapter, Beresford is particularly excited by the opportunities created by the convergence of creativity, technology and entrepreneurship. She believes advances in data and AI will enable the industry to understand consumers, identify emerging trends and bring new ideas to market with greater precision.

“By combining our proven incubation expertise with these new capabilities, I think we can unlock innovation and creativity more effectively than ever before.”

Authenticity and sustainability

Looking ahead over the next five years, Beresford believes the brands most likely to succeed will be those that can establish genuine trust and relevance in consumers’ lives.

In an increasingly crowded marketplace, where consumers have more choice than ever, she sees authenticity, purpose and consistency as essential to building lasting relationships.

“Consumers have never had more choice, and standing out requires a clear purpose, authentic storytelling and a consistent consumer experience across every touchpoint.”

For Beresford, this creates both a challenge and an opportunity — and one that sits at the heart of SLG’s incubation model.

She also believes that authenticity and sustainability must be embedded in how businesses operate, rather than treated as marketing buzzwords.

“True business values should be embedded and show up in the decisions you make day in and day out, from sourcing and manufacturing to the truth of your product claims and consumer conversations you choose to have,” she says. “Boiled down, it’s actions rather than words.”

These themes also emerged in SLG’s Beauty Pulse Trend Report, researched with UK beauty consumers in partnership with the British Beauty Council, highlighting the growing importance of sustainability, value and authenticity to the next generation of beauty brands.

Supporting British beauty

As a Patron of the British Beauty Council, SLG Brands is committed to playing an active role in supporting the wider UK beauty industry.

“Becoming a Patron of the British Beauty Council is a privilege,” she says. “The organisation plays a vital role in championing an industry that contributes significantly to the UK economy, innovation and employment. The annual ‘Value of Beauty’ report is testament to that.”

She believes businesses have a shared responsibility to support talent development, raise regulatory and safety standards, strengthen the UK’s reputation as a global beauty leader and drive more sustainable supply chains.

“By working together, our impact is exponentially greater, and the Council provides an invaluable platform for making that collaboration happen.”

As SLG Brands enters its next chapter, the sale of two established brands marks the beginning of a new phase, with a new generation of brands to discover, develop and scale. Beresford’s vision is firmly focused on what comes next—combining the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit that have long defined SLG with new technologies and insights to shape the future of beauty.