Image via City AM
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Greggs: Geographic Expansion
Greggs announced plans to expand from 2,773 to at least 3,500 UK store locations, with 62% of new H1 2026 openings in areas with no existing Greggs within a mile. CEO Roisin Currie stated the chain is targeting underrepresented channels: retail parks, train stations, airports, roadsides, and selective relocations in towns/cities.
Source: City AM
The leadership read
Market entry of this kind typically deepens demand for the sector leadership bench strength in the region over the following 12–18 months.
Market context: The wider read — a Talent Market Index of 105.8 (Hot), down 2.3 month-on-month — shows EMEA signal flow easing (-2.8pts).
Greggs: 2 signals in the last 90 days; 0.1% of MitchelLake's EMEA signal flow; 2 tracked across 78 days.
Market entry — the MitchelLake playbook
When a company expands into a new market, the first leadership hires decide whether it lands. A selection of market entries we've run:
Market entry · Oceania
Square
Executive Search Fintech
Market entry
Dropbox
Executive Search for SaaS
Market entry · Asia
Deliveroo
Executive Search in ASEAN
Market entry · Oceania
SurveyMonkey
Managing Director APAC (first hire in region) / Country Manager
Market entry · Asia
LivePerson
Director ASEAN (first hire in region); also Head of Presales APAC
Market entry · Oceania
Etsy
Managing Director, Australia + Asia (MD APAC)
MitchelLake in this thematic
Also at Greggs →
More signals across EMEA
Geographic Expansion · EMEA
Kaizen Gaming →Kaizen Gaming has secured full regulatory approval in Spain (general betting, fixed-odds sports betting, advertising licenses via DGOJ) and is actively recruiting a Managing Director, Spain to lead the operational launch of its Betano sportsbook. Spain becomes Kaizen's 11th active European market across 20 regulated global jurisdictions.
Geographic Expansion · EMEA
Bitpanda →Bitpanda obtained MiCA authorisation and continues operating in Europe after July 1, 2026 MiCA transition deadline. Company positioned among licensed providers now capturing users migrating from unauthorised platforms.
Geographic Expansion · EMEA
Halcyon →Mercy Erhiawarien, Head of International Programmes at Halcyon (nonprofit startup accelerator), is actively based across Lagos and Nairobi, signalling organizational focus on East and West African expansion and positioning Africa as a priority investment geography.
Geographic Expansion · EMEA
The Crown Estate →The Crown Estate is unveiling a major West End redevelopment pipeline with two projects (10 Piccadilly and 21-29 Glasshouse Street) creating 169K SF of new office, retail and hospitality space in London
Geographic Expansion · EMEA
Dublin City University →DCU experiencing significant growth in Indian student enrollments as part of broader Irish university trend (India now largest international student market) driven by outcome-focused education evaluation.
Geographic Expansion · EMEA
Woodside Energy →Woodside Energy, alongside ConocoPhillips and Chevron, is highlighting Africa's expanding upstream opportunity at African Energy Week 2026, signaling strategic focus on African operations
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