Tom Chapman OBE is an investor in early-stage companies and co-founder of MATCHESFASHION.COM.
He invests in committed founders to grow disruptive mission-driven businesses that leverage technology to deliver a better service to customers.
His work as an investor builds on his experience founding MATCHESFASHION.COM , operating at the forefront of the changing face of retail for more than 30 years. With his wife Ruth, they grew the company from a single store to a global luxury fashion brand with a reputation for nurturing talent and introducing designers, such as Versace and Prada, to the UK.
Under his leadership, MATCHESFASHION.COM invested heavily in technology, enabling the company to better understand the lives of its customers; provide a fast, convenient and highly personalised service; and connect with customers in new ways through rich content and storytelling.
MATCHESFASHION.COM was one of the first luxury brands to go online in 2007. From website launch, the company grew at up to 100 percent annually, raising £20 million in 2012 for a minority stake, before accelerating from a valuation of £76m to an acquisition price in excess of $1 billion five years later. It also pioneered blended retail, complementing digital with private-shopping concepts such as No. 23 and 5 Carlos Place.
Like MATCHESFASHION.COM , Tom's investments challenge the status quo and have strong brands that build deep, personal relationships with customers, and place special importance on social responsibility, inclusiveness and environmental impact.
Having been named as "trailblazers" by The New Times and "pioneers" by VOGUE, Tom & Ruth were awarded Draper's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. Described as a "retail innovator", he was inducted into the Business of Fashion Hall of Fame in 2018.
