John Vincent, founder and chief executive of Leon, joins the Big Boss Interview to explore how the rapid rise of weight-loss medications could reshape the food industry—and how Leon intends to position itself to benefit.

Vincent returned to the business in October 2025, four years after selling it, having grown disillusioned as a minority shareholder. He says he lacked the board control needed to run the company how he wanted.

Following its sale to the Issa Brothers and subsequent ownership by Asda, Vincent argues Leon became an “orphan child” inside a larger corporate structure, losing what he describes as its “chutzpah, leadership and confidence” and drifting away from its original sense of purpose.

So, Vincent has returned, and immediately put the company into administration, but says all suppliers have been protected and will be paid in full, though admits landlords are “probably less happy”. His strategy now involves scaling the business back initially, before rebuilding to around 100–200 restaurants focused largely on London, alongside expansion through franchise partnerships at service stations, airports and train stations, and growth in grocery and direct-to-consumer channels.

He also delivers a blistering critique of government policy towards hospitality, describing what he calls an “incredibly toxic tax regime”. His warning is stark: only restaurants “selling crap food” will survive, because quality ingredients are no longer economically viable, and further chain failures are inevitable.

Presenter: Will Bain

01:40 John Vincent joins the pod