Henry McGovern

Founding Parther at McWin Capital Partners

Speaker

Henry McGovern is widely recognized as one of Central Europe’s most accomplished entrepreneurs and visionary business leaders. He was the founder of AmRest, Europe’s leading multi-brand restaurant operator, as CEO and Chairman for 26 years.

Under his leadership, AmRest grew to over 2,300 restaurants across 25 countries, including the United States and China, delivering a 13.7x return on investment for its public shareholders. The company’s valuation increased from an IPO of $100 million to over $3 billion, significantly outperforming the market. AmRest remains publicly listed on the Warsaw and Madrid Stock Exchanges (ticker: EAT). In 2008, Forbes named Henry one of the Top 5 Businesspeople in Poland.

Today, Henry is the Founding Partner of McWin Capital Partners, a private investment firm managing over €1 billion in assets. McWin specializes in Food Service and Food Technology, taking an entrepreneurial and operational approach to building transformative businesses. The firm partners with exceptional CEOs who aim to challenge industry norms and drive lasting change.

McWin’s seasoned team of over 35 professionals is headquartered in London, with a strong international presence through local offices in Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic, and the United States. Its portfolio spans some of the most innovative and high-growth companies in the global food ecosystem, including: L’Osteria, CookUnity, dean&david, Stick’n’Sushi, Big Mamma, Gail’s, Burger King (CEE), Popeyes (CEE), Vapiano, White Rabbit Projects, Footprint, UPSIDE Foods, The EVERY Company, Elephant Skin, Nuritas, and Oishii.

As of 2025, McWin operates a network of over 1,500 restaurants across Europe and North America, reinforcing its reputation as one of the most dynamic and distinctive players in the international food service industry. Henry’s professional passion lies in building businesses—he considers himself an operator first, investor second, driven by mission, values, and a collaborative team spirit. His entrepreneurial legacy is rooted in scaling impact-driven brands that combine operational excellence with cultural integrity.

Privately, Henry resides with his family in Prague and is the proud father of three sons and one daughter. A believer in bold vision and decisive action, he lives by the motto “Wszystko jest możliwe!” (Anything is possible!). He is an active member and speaker within YPO, and his personal mission is to help eliminate factory farming of animals by 2040