Lesley Beach is known for her strategic leadership, progressing from a career in finance to group managing director of Splash About International and Bambino Mio. Recently named Yorkshire Businesswoman of the Year, she shares commercial insight with CWB.
Lesley Beach’s career began in finance, a background that later proved foundational. Qualifying as an accountant at 24 and swiftly advancing through senior finance roles in the food sector, she was Finance Lead for an AIM-listed food group by 27, where she also gained her first exposure to the process of buying and selling businesses. She then joined the Tranfield Group, handling acquisitions, disposals and debt restructuring.
“That period was incredibly formative,” says Beach. “I worked closely with lean manufacturing teams, project management groups, and commercial leaders to ensure capital investment delivered measurable returns. It taught me how to quickly diagnose issues, prioritise what truly drives performance, and lead effective turnarounds.”
In 2011, the former chairman of Tranfield Group approached Beach with an investment opportunity and the chance to apply her experience to a business where she could also hold equity. That business was Splash About. Beach completed the due diligence on the acquisition, secured bank funding, took a 50% pay cut, and invested everything she had into the company. At the time, Splash About was a small cottage-industry business founded by a husband and wife living in the South of France. It had a successful hero product, the Happy Nappy™, but it was operating at a very modest scale.
Over the last 14 years, Beach has transformed the business into an international swim brand boasting multiple patents and design protections and an expanded range of early years swim and learn-to-swim products.
Building a global brand
Splash About is best known for its swim nappy range, particularly the aforementioned Happy Nappy™, which is widely regarded as the most effective reusable swim nappy on the market. It was designed to significantly reduce solid leaks into pools and is widely recommended by baby swim schools. By preventing contamination incidents, it helps minimise pool closures, lowers cleaning costs, and avoids disruption to swimming lessons.
Since then, the range has grown to encompass all stages of early years swimming. This includes neoprene wetsuits, buoyancy aids, a wide selection of learn-to-swim products, and inclusive options like SEN swimwear. In 2019, the acquisition of Swimrite Supplies enabled Splash About to broaden its offer into the wider family swim category, adding toys, swimwear and accessories to its collection.
“Our approach to product development is firmly rooted in child development,” continues Beach. “Our products are designed with purpose, supporting key skills such as water confidence, breath control, diving and sensory engagement. Many also incorporate more sustainable materials, including neoprene offcuts and silicone. Today, Splash About products are sold in more than 50 countries, with key growth markets including the US, Australia, Europe and the Middle East. We recently acquired our Australian distributor and established a direct presence in that market, which is one of the strongest globally for baby swimming and continues to see significant growth.”
The acquisition of Bambino Mio
Guy and Jo Schanschieff started Bambino Mio in 1997. They initially offering reusable nappy laundry services to nurseries before expanding into designing and manufacturing Oeko-Tex certified reusable nappies, swim nappies, and potty training products. From the outset, it was a purpose-driven brand. The founders were passionate about offering parents a credible alternative to disposables, with a focus on reducing the environmental impact of early years products.
Beach received the Information Memorandum for Bambino Mio in September 2025, at a time when she was also exploring the acquisition of Splash About’s Australian distributor and establishing the brand’s presence in that market. “I had long admired Bambino Mio, even before the acquisition,” says Beach. “I felt there was a strong alignment with Splash About in terms of values, particularly around child development, product innovation and more sustainable product choices. But initially I was cautious. I had a clear strategic roadmap for Splash About’s global expansion, and Bambino Mio’s recent trading performance meant the opportunity came with a degree of risk.
“However, after completing detailed due diligence, it became clear that the brand still held significant equity with both parents and retailers. That underlying strength, combined with the strategic fit, ultimately made the decision compelling. Eighteen months on, I’m very pleased we made the decision. We’ve been able to secure the future of a much-loved British brand, retain a highly experienced team, and put the business firmly back on a path to sustainable growth.”
Restoring profitability
Beach applied a clear three-stage approach to Bambino Mio’s turnaround. The first step was to listen. The existing team had deep knowledge of the brand, market and category, so understanding what had gone wrong and where they saw the immediate opportunities provided the starting point and helped shape initial priorities.
The second step was a full financial diagnostic, analysing where capital was being spent and whether those activities were delivering a return. This allowed Beach to identify inefficiencies and opportunities to operate more effectively, particularly by leveraging the broader capabilities of the Splash About group. A key focus was unlocking synergies across supply chain, marketing, distribution and product development resources. Integrating these areas enabled Beach to move quickly, improving both cost efficiency and operational performance.
The final step was going back to the market. Beach looked closely at customer feedback, category dynamics and product performance, identifying which lines were still leading, where growth potential existed, and where ranges had become less relevant. This process clarified where Bambino Mio could reassert leadership and where innovation was needed. The relaunch of the core product ranges is a direct outcome of that work.
Highlights include 15 new prints to enhance shelf appeal and drive consumer engagement, bringing a contemporary aesthetic to the reusable category. Refreshed packaging optimises efficiency by eliminating wasted space as well as simplifying retailer merchandising, and a redesigned website offers enhanced functionality and an improved user experience to drive consumer education and conversion.
Brand synergies
Splash About and Bambino Mio are both brands with a clear focus on solving real, everyday challenges for parents. At their core, both are innovation-led businesses, prioritising child development and product performance over purely aesthetic designs.
From an operational perspective, there are also strong synergies across product development, manufacturing, logistics and international distribution. Splash About has a strong presence in swim schools and leisure environments globally, while Bambino Mio has deep credibility within the reusable nappy and early parenting market. Bringing the two together has created a more robust platform for growth, allowing the sharing of technical expertise, streamlining operations and accelerating product innovation, while also expanding reach across complementary customer segments.
In terms of wholesale, both brands offer independent retailers something valuable – products with a genuine point of difference. These are not commodity items; the ranges are technically designed, with often patented or protected products. This level of functionality helps retailers move beyond price-led competition and instead sell on performance, trust and results.
“Parents who find a product that works tend to remain loyal and actively recommend it, driving organic word-of-mouth and long-term value for retailers,” says Beach. “Both brands align strongly with current consumer trends, particularly around sustainability, child development and demand for high-quality, reusable products. This gives independent retailers a clear opportunity to differentiate their offer, attract more conscious consumers, and build stronger, more engaged customer relationships.”
Ambitions and strategic priorities
The primary objective for Bambino Mio currently is the brand relaunch, including enhancing product portfolios, optimising channel strategy, and re-engaging with retailers and parents who have consistently relied on the brand. The ultimate goal is to become the global leader in potty training products.
For Splash About, the focus is on continued international expansion, particularly across the US, Australia and the Middle East. Also, product development within the learn-to-swim and family swim markets, expanding beyond early years into a broader swim category. “Looking ahead, we are developing a new premium, technology-led swim range aimed at older children and adults, which we hope to launch under a new brand in 2027,” concludes Beach.
For further information and wholesale enquiries for Splash About, contact info@splashabout.com or click here. For Bambino Mio, contact customercare@bambinomio.com or click here.