Lempriere Wells Harrington is a boutique global investment bank specialising in beauty, wellness and fashion. We advise founders, investors, and strategic acquirers on the transactions and decisions that shape category-leading consumer businesses.
Combining deep sector specialisation with rigorous execution and a global network of industry leaders, investors and strategic partners, we deliver acute, tailored advice across M&A, capital raising and strategic mandates.
Our sector-leading transaction comparables and market intelligence provide clients with a clear, informed view of value, positioning, and the opportunities ahead.
Built on a multi-generational heritage in investment and commerce Lempriere Wells Harrington understand what it takes to build brands with relevance, scale platforms internationally, and create enduring value.
Led a select outreach to support one of the fastest-growing US brands in the baby care category.
Strategic majority sale to a German electronics group to fuel international growth and supply chain efficiencies.
Led a global process across Asia, Middle East, Europe and the US. Secured a valuation twice the initial market pricing.
Long term advisory and execution of multiple transactions; funding geographical expansion across two rounds for Asia and the United Kingdom, sale of secondary shares for founder liquidity, and trade sale to pre-eminent global industry leader, L'Occitane.
Identified, advised, and executed sale to industry leader, L’Occitane, filling premium fragrance gap in an already enviable portfolio. Delivered full exit for the Founder and European PE investor.
Strategic Asian expansion investment and majority acquisition by global recognised leader in food and beverage category.
Discrete, off-market process comprising sale of secondary shares and growth capital investment to underpin US expansion. Meaningful minority sale, partnered Founders with the leading baby category Private Equity investor, with region expertise and unparalleled sector track record.
Global roadshow spanning Asia, Middle East, North America, and Europe, procuring multiple offers. Concluded with Founder exit and equity roll into beauty platform established by Gauge Capital, the leading US Private Equity investor in SPF and tanning categories.
US roadshow culminating in cornerstone growth equity investment from Shiseido to support formulations R&D and global manufacturing, and distribution expansion in new markets and channels. Co-investments from industry experts and consumer specialists, Point King Capital.
Bilateral engagement. Strategic acquisition by Vitality Brands to add manufacturing capability and extend into new product categories. Full exit for Founder and Private Equity investor.
Strategic advisory focused on sales channel synergies, achieved through exit to Arrotex Pharmaceuticals. Staggered and full exit for Founders and Private Equity, respectively.
Targeted value-add partner approach resulting in growth capital investment from Aussco, China and Hong Kong-based specialist technical textiles and garments manufacturer, with distribution expertise to support region growth.
Investment by Lempriere Wells – Heritage Australian workwear and apparel brand focused on durable rural and industrial clothing.
Executed a tightly controlled competitive global process and secured an acquisition from one of Asia's most established health and wellness groups.
Majority sale for Founders coupled with primary injection to accelerate expansion into new sales channels. The inaugural investment of Glow Capital.
Founded by industry experts, a highly focused engagement of international consumer investors. Secured equity investment by UK-based consumer specialist, Unilever Ventures, to support retail and online channel expansion in the US and Asia.
Bilateral engagement involving China-based beauty specialist investor, EverYi Capital, to guide Southeast Asia market expansion. Founder sell-down and growth equity investment, with Founders retaining meaningful majority.
Long-term strategic advisory involving two transactions. First, growth capital from Australian Private Equity and high-net worth individuals, providing Founders localised support. Then, strategic capital from US-based Private Equity to fund North America retail expansion.
Multi-year advisory comprising two transactions. Growth capital from high-net worth individuals for platform development and launch into new sales verticals. Then, majority sale to Arcus Partners with exit for high-net worths, founder liquidity and primary injection for continued sales expansion. Founders maintain meaningful minority.
Founder advisory across two transactions. Secured growth capital from Australian Family Office to support supply chain and logistics optimisation to underpin growth. Then, facilitated Founder and investor exit to publicly listed Global meal box giant, Marley Spoon (MS1.DE, + €500m turnover).
Leveraged deep industry expertise to execute the full sale of the world’s most advanced technical yarns producer to Indoorama Ventures (BKK:IVL, +US1bn earnings), in which the Lempriere Wells team relocated to Hard, Austria.
Asia-based investor-focused raise, procuring growth equity investment from operational value-add partner to facilitate region expansion and optimise supply chain.
Full exit of one of Australia’s most iconic brands to Gina Rinehart, Australian resources billionaire.
Investment by Lempriere Wells – Heritage Australian boot maker.
Investment by Lempriere Wells – Australia’s largest berry farm.
L14, 1 Collins Street, Melbourne
VIC 3000, Australia
Any securities offered to or on behalf of U.S. Persons are being conducted pursuant to a chaperone arrangement under SEC Rule 15a-6 and through Finalis Securities LLC Member FINRA and SIPC.
Alice Wells founded Lempriere Wells and is one of the most distinctive advisers in global consumer M&A. Alice has built an exceptional track record advising founders and shareholders across beauty, fashion, luxury and wellness. Based out of Italy, Alice supports Lempriere Wells Harrington's international origination, strategic advisory and cross-border transaction activities.
Alice’s understanding of these sectors extends well beyond the transaction. A recognised presence at international fashion weeks and a longstanding participant in the global beauty and fashion community, she brings a depth of category knowledge, cultural fluency and commercial instinct rarely found in investment banking. The Australian Financial Review has described Alice as the “sharply dressed powerbroker” taking Australian brands global, while WWD named her among the beauty industry’s most powerful financiers.
Alice has advised on complex cross-border transactions involving many of the world’s leading consumer investors and strategic groups, including L’Occitane, Estée Lauder, Shiseido, Unilever, Gauge Capital and Felix Capital. Her ability to position exceptional brands, engage the right international counterparties and create genuine competitive tension has consistently delivered market-leading outcomes for clients.
Drawing on her international network and deep sector expertise, Alice plays a key role in identifying opportunities, connecting founders with global strategic and financial partners, and supporting cross-border mandates. Her combination of commercial insight, category expertise and international perspective helps clients navigate complex transactions while preserving the vision and values that underpin exceptional brands.
William Lempriere is a Founding Partner and Chairman of Lempriere Wells Harrington. A highly experienced private investor and operator, he has spent his career building international businesses, identifying value-creation opportunities and developing capital structures that support enduring growth.
From 1998 to 2016, William served as Executive Chairman of Lempriere Australia. Under his leadership, the business developed from a mid-sized wool trader into an international trading, processing and logistics group, generating turnover in excess of $1 billion and operating across more than 22 countries before its sale to Shandong Ruyi.
Today, his investment interests extend across structured finance, consumer, industrial, fashion and apparel, resources, agriculture, tourism and aviation. This breadth of experience gives William a rare ability to assess businesses from the perspective of an owner, operator and investor, with a clear understanding of the opportunities and responsibilities associated with each.
As Chairman, William provides the firm with long-term strategic perspective, commercial discipline and access to an extensive international network. His direct and considered approach makes him a trusted adviser to founders and senior decision-makers evaluating transformational growth, investment and partnership opportunities.
Sean Harrington is a Partner of Lempriere Wells Harrington and one of the beauty industry’s most experienced entrepreneurs and operators. Over more than three decades, he has built, scaled and internationalised one of the world’s most recognised premium skincare brands.
As a Co-Founder of ELEMIS, Sean served as Chief Executive Officer, guiding the business from its entrepreneurial beginnings into a global beauty company with distribution across more than 90 countries. His experience spans every dimension of brand building, from product development and consumer engagement to international distribution, organisational leadership and market expansion.
Through several defining ownership events, Sean personally led ELEMIS through institutional investment and its subsequent US$900 million sale. Having built the brand to leading the market in the UK, he also established the brand’s operations in New York and Hong Kong, creating the platform for its continued growth across North America and Asia.
At Lempriere Wells Harrington, Sean brings the judgement of a founder who has experienced every stage of the growth journey. His combination of creative instinct, operational depth and transactional experience allows him to advise clients with exceptional credibility on scaling a brand, navigating institutional investment and selecting the right long-term partner for future success.