Where are they now: Mark Scott, Co-Founder and Non-Executive Director of Bella & Duke

Since its launch in 2018, the LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders programme has celebrated hundreds of exceptional individuals. In this series, we reconnect with some of our alumni to discover where their growth journeys have taken them, the impact of being part of the programme, and what their ambitions look like today.  

Serial entrepreneurs Mark Scott and Tony Ottley launched raw pet food brand Bella & Duke to help cat and dog owners give their pets a better diet and a happier life.

Founded in 2017, the business tapped into pet owners’ desire for quality food, without filler or preservatives. The pair featured in The LDC Top 50 in 2023 and since then, Bella & Duke has won a listing in Pets at Home and expanded its range of products, improving “palatability”. As Mark says: “Cats especially can be fussy.”

Bella & Duke also has a vibrant online community of customers, affectionately known as ‘The Pack’. Now numbering 35,000 people, up from 30,000 two years ago, they provide constant feedback. “They keep us on our toes and keep us transparent,” he adds.

Mark and Tony have grown the company to revenues of £30m by maintaining a laser focus on quality. “I bought a massive teddy of a dog and a smaller teddy of a cat, and they sit on the boardroom table,” Mark explains. “It reminds us that every decision we make has to improve their lives of our real customers: the pets.”

How have you innovated since 2022?

We’re always tweaking the products based on customer feedback. We’ve introduced peel-back lids, which was a massive challenge. We’ve also made it easier to understand portion sizes; the food comes in a bar, like a chocolate bar, so you can easily split it. These sound like small things, but customers really wanted them.

How have you evolved as a leader?

I stood down as CEO 18 months ago and it was a revelation. Letting go is hard as an entrepreneur but I see myself as a wartime leader. I get things up and running but I don’t like routine. Right now, I’m training to be a shaman. It’s the scariest thing I’ve done, focusing on healing, energy and breathwork.

What does success mean to you?

In terms of its impact on human life and the community, Bella & Duke has smashed it out the park. We have changed people’s lives, both inside the team and out. Bella & Duke is the first business I ever took investment in; everything else I grew organically. We raised £10m in total and the business was valued at £50m. I have started 25 businesses and this is the biggest business I have ever grown.