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Ten Lifestyle Group Plc

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FY2019 Annual Report · Ten Lifestyle Group Plc
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Ten Lifestyle Group Plc
Annual Report and Accounts 2019

THE FUTURE 
OF SERVICE

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9

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OUR MISSION:

TO BECOME THE 
WORLD’S MOST 
TRUSTED SERVICE

Our mission is to be the world’s most trusted service. We aim to 
deliver the best in personalised, expert-led customer service combined 
with continuous innovation in technology. Today, our service is offered 
to millions of members and we work with more than 50 corporate 
partners from 22 operational offices located in the world’s most 
important metropolitan cities. 

Find out more about us at 
tenlifestylegroup.com

Watch our investor presentation at 
tenlifestylegroup.com/investors/documents

Strategic Report
Highlights 

At a Glance 

Chairman’s Statement 

Chief Executive’s Statement 

Markets 

Business Model 

Strategy 

Financial Review 

Key Performance Indicators 

Principal Risks and Uncertainties 

1

2

4

6

9

10

12

14

19

20

Corporate Governance
Introduction from the Chairman 

Board of Directors 

Statement of Corporate Governance 

Audit and Risk Committee Report 

Nomination Committee Report 

Remuneration Committee Report 

Directors’ Report 

23

24

26

29

31

32

35

Financial Statements
Independent Auditor’s Report 

Consolidated Statement  
of Comprehensive Income 

Consolidated Statement 
of Financial Position 

Company Statement  
of Financial Position 

Consolidated Statement 
of Changes in Equity 

Company Statement  
of Changes in Equity 

Consolidated Statement 
of Cash Flows 

Company Statement 
of Cash Flows 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

38

43

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45

46

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48

49

50

Corporate Information 

IBC

Highlights

FINANCIAL
 > Net Revenue1 up 23% to £45.8m (2018: £37.4m) 

 > All three regions growing in double digits:
 > 18% Net Revenue growth in EMEA2

 > 38% Net Revenue growth in the Americas
 > 11% Net Revenue growth in APAC3

 > Adjusted EBITA4 of £(4.3)m (2018: £(3.9)m) with improved 

margin5 of (9.4)% (2018: (10.4)%)

 > Loss before tax of £(7.3)m (2018: £(8.5)m)

 > Cash at £12.3m (2018: £20.7m) and no debt

 > Cash outflow £8.3m; second half outflow (£0.8m (unaudited)) 
significantly lower than the first half outflow (£7.5m (unaudited))

OPER ATIONAL
 > Record member satisfaction globally6

 > One Large contract won, two existing Large contracts grown 
to become Extra Large (2018: nil Extra Large contracts) plus 
two contracts expected to be Large contracts in annualised 
terms won but not launched in the year. A deal signed post 
year-end to grow an existing contract into an Extra Large 
contract in 20207

 > Ten’s competitive proprietary digital platform becoming 
established in all three global regions and with fourteen 
client brands

 > £12.2m spent on proprietary digital platform, 
communications and technologies enhancing 
client experience (2018: £10.5m)

 > Operating efficiency improved due to technology 
improvements as well as growing maturity in our 
operations and supplier base

1 

 Net Revenue excludes the direct cost of sales relating to certain member transactions managed 
by the Group.

2 

 The Europe, Middle East and Africa region.

3  The Asia-Pacific region.

4 

 Adjusted EBITA is operating (loss)/profit before interest, taxation, amortisation, share-based 
payments and exceptional costs.

5  Adjusted EBITA as a percentage of Net Revenue.

6 

7 

 Ten measures member satisfaction using the Net Promoter Score management tool, which gauges 
the loyalty of a firm’s customer relationships (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_Promoter).

 Ten categorises its corporate client contracts based on the annualised value paid, or expected to be paid, 
by the corporate client for the provision of concierge and related services by Ten as: Small contracts 
(below £0.25m); Medium contracts (between £0.25m and £2m); Large contracts (over £2m); and Extra 
Large contracts (over £5m). This does not include the revenue generated from suppliers through the 
provision of concierge services.

Net Revenue
£m

£45.8m

2018: £37.4m

2017: £33.2m

Adjusted EBITA
£m

£(4.3)m

2018: £(3.9)m

2017: £1.7m

Operating loss before  
interest and tax
£m

£(7.8)m

2018: £(8.0)m

2017: £(1.7)m

Loss for the year
£m

£(8.3)m

2018: £(8.1)m

2017: £(1.6)m

Adjusted EBITA margin 
% of Net Revenue

(9.4)%

2018: (10.4)%

2017: 5.1%

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

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Strategic ReportAt a Glance

AN ENHANCED PLATFORM

This year we offered services to millions of eligible members domiciled in over 52 countries 
around the world.

22 OPER ATIONAL OFFICES

San Francisco,
United States  
of America

Toronto,
Canada

São Paulo,
Brazil

Cape Town,
South Africa

Hong Kong,
China

Oslo,
Norway

Las Vegas,
United States  
of America

New York City,
United States  
of America

London,
United Kingdom

Dubai,
United Arab Emirates

Shanghai,
China

Moscow,
Russia

Mexico City,
Mexico

Bogota,
Colombia

Brussels,
Belgium

Mumbai,
India

Tokyo,
Japan

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Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Miami,
United States  
of America

Buenos Aires,
Argentina

Zürich,
Switzerland

Singapore,
Republic of Singapore

Melbourne,
Australia

STRATEGIC REPORTINVESTMENT CASE

1

2

3

This is a huge market 
opportunity as our 
service can become the 
best way to organise 
travel, entertainment, 
eating out and 
lifestyle activities

We are already 
the established 
market leader for 
technology-enabled 
concierge services1

We are building a highly 
defendable market 
position with long-term 
and large corporate 
contracts, a powerful 
closed user group model 
and an integrated 
technology platform

4

5

6

We are investing in 
our technology 
platform to deliver 
strong, personalised and 
improving service levels 
and to reduce the cost 
per interaction

We are en route to 
profitability and 
cash generation 
after a period of intensive 
investment after our IPO 
in November 2017

We have healthy 
overall growth2 of 
23% from multiple markets 
– both geographically 
and in terms of new 
corporate sectors

1 

 Based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management, 
including the number of corporate contracts won in competitive tenders. 

2  Net Revenue up 23% with all three regions growing 10%+.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

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Strategic ReportChairman’s Statement

INVESTMENT IN TECHNOLOGY BEGINNING 
TO PAY OFF WITH GREAT CLIENT WINS AND 
PROGRESS TOWARDS PROFITABILITY

Strategy
Ten partners with corporate clients 
across a range of markets to deliver 
technology-enabled travel and lifestyle 
services to their most valuable customers, 
as well as to Ten’s private membership. 
Ten’s corporate partners generally offer 
our services to improve their customer 
retention, value, and advocacy.

Ten’s concierge service assists 
members to discover, organise and 
book travel, dining, and live entertainment, 
but can extend to more general lifestyle 
and retail support services. Ten’s unique 
range of offers and services, developed 
over the last 20 years, are now accessed 
by members through a combination 
of Ten’s market-leading lifestyle and 
travel proprietary digital platform, the 
“Ten Platform”, and the expertise of its 
Lifestyle Managers via phone, email 
and, from this year, live chat on the 
Ten Platform. 

Through Ten’s service proposition, 
members can achieve superior access, 
experiences, and outcomes often more 
cost effectively and conveniently than 
they could have achieved on their own. 
As a result of making arrangements on 
behalf of its combined membership base 
of wealthy individuals, Ten has access 
to better rates and/or enhanced benefits 
from its suppliers compared to other 
existing service providers, both online 
and offline.

We continue to invest in our technology 
and people to improve member experience, 
service quality and efficiencies, furthering 
our ambition to become the world’s most 
trusted service. Our strategic goals to 
achieve this ambition are to: improve 
member experience, continue to invest 
in technology, expand existing contracts 
and develop new contract opportunities. 
We expand on our aims and progress 
in the year and look ahead for each 
of these goals on pages 12 and 13. 

Results
I can report that we have continued 
to make good progress during the year 
towards each of these strategic objectives, 

resulting in strong Net Revenue growth 
of 23% year on year, with a reduction 
in our pre-tax loss.

Just over half of this growth came from 
the development of existing contracts, 
including two Large contracts growing 
into Extra Large contracts during the 
period. Just over a third of growth has 
resulted from the annualised growth of 
new contracts won in the 2018 financial 
year, which included Visa, Mastercard 
and HSBC Jade.

The year to 31 August 2019 also saw 
important strategic contract wins across 
all regions, with ICBC and CMB (China), 
RBC (Canada), Absa (South Africa), and 
DNB (Norway), as well as new opportunities 
with fintech leader Revolut, and a global 
TMT brand. A number of Small contracts 
have the potential to grow into Medium 
contracts in the coming year.

During the year we continued to invest 
in technology and people, positioning the 
Group well for further growth in the future. 
By maintaining levels of investment in 
technology, we are aiming for a digital 
transformation across the business, 
driving our competitive advantage, 
service efficiencies and supporting future 
growth. You can read more about our 
Digital Transformation on page 5. 

We continue to maintain excellent corporate 
client retention and year-on-year record 
member satisfaction levels, across our 
high-touch and digital propositions. This 
has been achieved, in part, by investing 
in the training and development of our 
Lifestyle Managers and management, 
as well as by improving the use of our 
proprietary technology. 

We ended the year with a cash position 
of £12.3m (2018: £20.7m), which is a 
cash outflow of £8.3m reflecting the 
continued investment in technology and 
people to support current and future Net 
Revenue growth. Our rate of cash outflow 
reduced as the year progressed primarily 
driven by increased revenues, operational 
efficiencies and improved working 
capital management. 

Bruce Weatherill
Chairman

Introduction
It is my pleasure to introduce Ten Lifestyle 
Group Plc’s financial results for 2019, our 
second since listing on the London Stock 
Exchange’s Alternative Investment 
Market (AIM).

In 2019, the Group has continued on 
its path to become the world’s most 
trusted service. The business has won 
and launched new contracts in both 
new and existing markets and grown 
the number of members that have access 
to our service. Ten has also rolled out its 
enhanced digital platform globally, live 
for members in over 100 countries and 
14 client brands. We continue to invest 
in our proprietary technology and I am 
pleased to say we are seeing this 
investment deliver material new client 
mandates. Our technology is a key 
differentiator and further enhances the 
Group’s competitive position as a leading 
technology-enabled, global lifestyle and 
travel service platform for individuals 
and their families. 

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Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

STRATEGIC REPORTi

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We run our business based on three 
regions: EMEA, the Americas and APAC. 
All three regions had strong revenue 
growth, as a result of the annualised 
impact of new contracts plus existing 
client growth. This growth supports the 
significant investments made centrally 
by the Group as well as the investment 
in newer regions in prior years. Overall 
operational efficiencies were delivered 
during the year as we start to leverage 
our global scale and infrastructure 
to support our existing and future 
corporate partners.

People
The Group continues to benefit from 
a strong founder-led executive team 
which continues to drive the growth 
and technology innovations seen this 
year. We were pleased to welcome 
Alan Donald as Chief Financial Officer 
and a member of the Board in June 
2019. Alan’s strong experience further 
strengthens the executive team. We have 
included a Q&A with Alan at page 18 in 
addition to the Directors’ biographies 
on pages 24 and 25. 

The Group has continued to invest 
in quality Lifestyle Managers around 
the world as well as a number of 
senior hires. 

Summary 
I am very pleased to report that the 
strategy set out in the IPO two years ago 
(November 2017) is bearing fruit and can 
be seen in the results. Our continued 
investment in our digital platform and IT, 
together with our excellent client service, 
as demonstrated though record high NPS 
scores, has helped us expand existing 
contracts around the world and win new 
mandates. We have also begun to achieve 
increased efficiencies with no detriment 
to customer service as our offices around 
the world gain critical mass and we continue 
to roll out our digital platform. 

We succeed when we create value for 
our corporate clients and deliver an 
exceptional experience to our members, 
their customers.

I would like to extend a huge thanks 
to my fellow Board members and to Ten 
employees worldwide, who have worked 
tirelessly to enhance our proposition and 
build the required technology platform 
to enable us to grow in the future and 
deliver shareholder value.

Bruce Weatherill
Chairman
25 November 2019

1  Customer relationship management tool (CRM).

2 

 A microservice is an architectural design that 
separates portions of an application into small, 
self-containing services.

3  Application programming interface.

4 

 “SOC” controls are a series of standards designed to 
help measure how well a service organisation conducts 
and regulates its information. SOC-certified organisations 
are independently audited to determine if the firm has the 
appropriate SOC safeguards and procedures in place.

5 

 Ten’s proprietary customer relationship management 
(CRM) platform used by Lifestyle Managers.

Ten’s digital transformation

Investing in technology to create a better member experience, support corporate client digital transformation, build resilience 
and drive efficiency and profitability by:

Creating a superb member experience

Building resilience

Driving efficiency and profitability

 > Improved member onboarding 
experience using an interactive 
e-CRM1 and video guides

 > Introduction of live chat functionality 

to the Ten Platform improves 
member interactions 

 > Improved search capability on 
the Ten Platform via geo-tree 
functionality and improved filters

 > Greater range of hotels (now 

over 200,000) improves choice 
and value for members on the 
member-facing digital platform

 > Micro-service2 APIs3 developed for 
flights, cars and hotels, with remaining 
categories to follow. This improves 
speed of development and 
externalised APIs can be integrated 
into client’s own ecosystems

 > Modernised infrastructure with 
stronger regional data centre 
capabilities and improved global 
communications, delivering better 
call quality and system resilience

 > Improved compliance and security 
capabilities, securing SOC Type 24 
certification for the first time

 > Accessibility improvements to 

member experience in line with 
relevant guidelines – important 
for major global brands

 > Improved e-learning and 

training for Lifestyle Managers 
and their managers

 > Improved search functionality 
improves Lifestyle Manager 
efficiency and member experience

 > Improved Dining module on the 
TenMAID5 CRM system used by 
Lifestyle Managers improves both 
speed and member outcome

 > New translation management 
system to increase efficiency

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

5

Strategic Report 
Chief Executive’s Statement

OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO BECOME THE 
WORLD’S MOST TRUSTED SERVICE

2.   Over 85% of our Net Revenue comes 
from service or subscription fees. This is 
explained in more detail as part of our 
Business Model on pages 10 and 11. 
In contrast, almost all other providers 
(e.g. travel agents or ticket portals) rely 
on making commissions or mark-ups. 
This allows us to provide market-leading 
value for our members, differentiated 
benefits and better access to our 
members because we are not obliged 
to maximise commission at the 
expense of building a trusted service; 

3.   We offer our members a rare and 

valued choice to access our service 
either via our digital Ten Platform or 
by contacting our “expert human” 
Lifestyle Managers; and

4.   We offer our suppliers access to 

high-value customers – because our 
members are typically mass affluent 
or High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs)1 
and because we can fit the members 
to the best supplier for their needs 
(e.g. a specific hotel, restaurant, concert 
venue or retailer). Our large and growing 
“closed user group” of high-spending 
members is powerful. Note that in many 
of our markets (e.g. luxury hotels, airlines 
and premium dining), the world’s 
“top 1%” accounts for a high proportion 
of the total market value; this is not a 
niche market.

In our second annual report as a listed 
business, we can report another year 
of progress towards our ambitions, 
with strong and improving service levels, 
Net Revenue growth at 23% and continued 
development of our digital technologies 
that help drive current and future increases 
in service levels, revenues and margin. 
We believe this investment into technology 
increased our competitive advantage 
against direct competitors (other 
concierge type companies) and also 
indirect competitors (i.e. those travel 
agents, ticket resellers, booking sites, etc. 
that we expect to increasingly displace 
due to our superior offering).

Net Revenue grew in line with our 
expectations. Other major financial 
metrics – notably cash and Adjusted 
EBITA – have been achieved at better 
levels than the Board anticipated at the 
start of the year.

How did we do in 2019?
1. We improved service quality, again
This underpins our success and the 
virtuous circle at the heart of our business 
model. The higher our service levels, 
the more our members trust and use 
our service, the more they advocate our 
service and justify our corporate partners 
spending more with us – and encourage 
new corporate partners and new suppliers 
to want to work with us. This growth allows 
us to improve service levels, which in turn 
drives growth – a virtuous circle. You can 
read more about the Group’s Virtuous 
Circle on page 10. 

We are delighted to have achieved record 
member satisfaction levels, measured by 
Net Promoter Score (NPS). We have had 
positive client feedback on our service 
on both existing programmes and new 
launches. We believe this grows our 
reputation and credibility in the market. 
We have included an overview of Member 
Experience Culture At Ten on page 8 
of this report.

2. Our digital platform continues 
to lead the market globally
Ten’s proprietary digital platform is 
now live in all three global regions, 
in 15 languages and 38 currencies. 
It is the only multi-category transactional 
lifestyle and travel platform, backed by 
expert Lifestyle Managers, available to 
our corporate partners and prospects. 
Some corporate partners require global 
support, which we offer, and most new 
contract tenders mandate a strong digital 
platform, which we also offer, as part 
of their desired specification.

The digital platform helps us win contracts 
and it also helps us scale the delivery 
of the services we then provide – both 
in terms of efficiency and service levels.

We expect to continue to invest in 
technology in the coming years – this 
is not a “one-off” investment but is at 
the core of our long-term strategy 
and operations.

We have included an overview of 
our Digital Transformation, to date, 
on page 5.

Alex Cheatle
Group Chief Executive Officer  
and Co-Founder 

Introduction
Ten is delivering on our vision to become 
the world’s most trusted service. We aim to 
offer the very best personalised experiences 
for our members across their travel, dining, 
entertainment and retail needs. As more 
members discover our services, and as 
more corporate clients choose to provide 
our services to their wealthy and mass 
affluent customers, we expect to become 
a major, highly differentiated challenger in 
the huge vertical markets of travel, event 
tickets, premium dining and luxury retail. 
You can read more about our analysis 
of these markets on page 9.

In those large, multi-billion-dollar-value 
markets we believe we can deliver better 
service to our members than the existing 
service providers for four main reasons:

1.   We provide a “one stop shop” service 

that is personalised to the individual, 
is global and is joined up across the 
different categories that we offer 
– which are best experienced when 
organised together; 

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Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

STRATEGIC REPORTi

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3. Our service is becoming more 
efficient in multiple global markets
Despite our Net Revenue growing at 
23% in the year, average employee 
numbers (full-time equivalent (FTE)) 
rose by only 9%. 

This is because we have seen efficiency 
improvements to our service in 
maturing markets. 

In the Americas, we achieved greater 
scale in Spanish, Portuguese and French 
Canadian as well as in English-speaking 
teams. Net Revenue grew by 38%, whilst 
there was a small reduction in regional 
employee numbers, demonstrating 
increased efficiencies, whist continuing 
to improve NPS. We expect continued 
efficiency gains in 2020, although, in the 
first half of the year we will incur one-off 
set-up costs related to an Extra Large 
contract expansion.

In APAC, we have started to benefit from 
scale in the key HNWI centres of Hong 
Kong and Singapore, as well as in Japan. 
The loss of a Large Contract in mainland 
China (as reported in the year) was partially 
offset by winning new contracts with two 
of the largest Chinese banks (ICBC and 
China Merchants Bank), although those 
wins do not yet compensate for the 
contract loss in either Net Revenue terms 
or profitability terms.

EMEA includes our most mature markets 
and we have also seen growth into new 
geographies. Our largest EMEA markets 
(the UK and Switzerland) have seen 
improved service levels, as measured 
by NPS. Those markets have also seen 
growth in efficiency, although Adjusted 
EBITA has reduced as we continue to

invest into central support infrastructure 
and technology to underpin growth. 
We expect to deliver continued efficiency 
gains in our major markets and we may 
also open in new markets, which will be 
less efficient as those markets establish 
mature “Lifestyle Manager” operations 
and a strong, local market, integrated 
supplier base. However, we have the 
most widely spoken European languages 
already operating at a full 24/7/365 
servicing level.

Globally, most of the growth in 2020 
is expected to come from geographical 
markets where we already have an 
established presence, allowing us to 
grow more efficiently.

In terms of sectors, we have grown 
and won contracts in our largest existing 
verticals of private banking, retail banking 
and credit cards. We have also won new 
contracts in the new “vertical” sectors 
of fintech, TMT and employee loyalty.

4. New hires have strengthened the 
leadership team and the operational 
and technology teams 
Across the Group, headcount has increased 
at a slower rate than the increase in Net 
Revenue as efficiencies have been delivered 
in the year. We have also maintained, but 
not needed to increase, the number of 
people on the Board or Senior 
Leadership Team. 

We have benefited too from a Board that 
includes three Non-Executive Directors, 
including our Chairman. I have very much 
appreciated their experience and guidance 
this year.

Post Balance Sheet Date events
In October, the Group was pleased 
to announce it had won a competitive 
tender for the expansion of an existing 
contract to an Extra Large contract, the 
Company’s largest single win to date. 
Additional set up costs of the expanded 
service are expected to be limited to the 
first half of 2020 and the Board anticipates 
the new contract to itself generate 
positive cashflow and profitability from 
the second half of 2020. 

Since the end of the year, we have also 
launched our service with Revolut Metal 
card and we expect to launch with the 
TMT brand towards the end of H1 2020. 
As reported in the year, both contracts 
are expected to be Large contracts in 
annualised terms.

Contracts 
by size

Signed as at
25 November 2019

Launched by
31 August 2019

Extra Large

Large

Medium

Total

3

6

17

26

2

5

17

24

Summary 
We believe our competitive position is 
stronger than ever, driven by our enhanced 
proprietary technology platform, our 
market-leading service levels, our integrated 
global infrastructure and the strength of 
our management and operational teams. 
We have won multiple contracts in the 
last year and are targeting more contracts 
wins in 2020.

Corporate partners 
commercially benefit 
from Ten’s services

Other commercial metrics can also improve with use of 
Ten’s services, including:

 > Advocacy and retention can increase

 > Assets under management (AuM) can increase

 > Spend on related cards can increase 

)

%

(

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Non users

Low users
(1–10 uses pa)

High users
(11+ uses pa)

Use of Ten’s Services

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

7

Strategic Report 
 
 
 
 
Chief Executive’s Statement continued

Summary continued
Continued improvements in service 
levels increase engagement and repeat 
use justify higher levels of investment 
from our corporate partners. We have 
demonstrated that increasing scale drives 
improved service levels as well as the 
efficiency which drives profitability, helping 
us progress towards our objective of 
becoming the most trusted service 
in the world.

2019 has been a year of continued 
investment, with evidence that the 
investment is improving both revenues 
and profitability. We enter 2020 with an 

even stronger capability to meet the 
needs of our members and global 
corporate clients.

I would like to extend my respect 
and heartfelt gratitude to the almost 850 
Ten team members worldwide, for their 
hard work and very effective contribution 
this year. They are rightly proud of 
their accomplishments.

proposition, as reflected in record member 
satisfaction ratings; and its market-leading 
technology. This is further supported by 
planned continued investment in the Ten 
digital platform for the foreseeable future.

Trading since the end of the year is in line 
with management’s expectations and the 
Board is encouraged by the strong pipeline 
of opportunities.

Outlook 
The Board is confident that the Group 
is in a good position to meet its strategic 
growth objectives, underpinned by: its 
competitive position its differentiated 

Alex Cheatle
Group Chief Executive Officer 
and Co-Founder 
25 November 2019

Member experience culture at Ten

In 2019, we refreshed our product and service improvement 
strategy to continue to improve how members experience 
the Ten service.

These improvements helped improve NPS, increase 
engagement within and across categories and improve 
efficiencies and revenue growth.

We enhanced our value propositions across Dining, Entertainment, 
Offers and Events and Travel with a view of the member’s overall 
experience rather than their isolated request, e.g. we offered a 
superb rate at the next door five-star hotel for our members visiting 
our suite or buying any other event tickets at the O2 venue in 
London and when a member books a holiday to New York via 
our travel team, not only do we help them to book their hotel, 
but we also make recommendations for restaurants and offer 
to book them through our Ten Held Tables programme.

We’ve made progress in how we engage our members across 
the full breadth of service by using data more effectively to find 
timely, proactive ways to inspire members and offer personalised 
and helpful service. In the year, we increased the number of 
proactive emails sent to members globally to 4.9m (2018: 3.4m) 
as well as improving the open rate of the emails to 44% (2018: 38%). 
The increase in volume is, in part, explained by new programme 
launches as well as our focus on gathering consents to marketing 
to increase our audience. 

We have almost doubled the number of published articles 
compared with the previous year.

Some highlights by service category include:

Dining
 > Expansion of our Ten Held Tables programme to over 600 

of the very best restaurants worldwide

 > We have launched a Chef Series, which has seen us film 

some of the world’s greatest chefs about how they prioritise 
Ten members, including Michel Roux, Jason Atherton, 
Daniel Boulud, John Fraser and Monica Galeti. Our members 
enjoy these and it helps prove our ‘insider’ credentials

 > Redesigned the Dining Club, our popular “by city” regular mailer, 

and launched into new cities

Travel
 > Expansion of Ten’s Global Hotel Collection - our portfolio 

of 2,200 five-star luxury, boutique and lifestyle hotels expanded 
to include 200+ Premium four-star Hotels, all of which offer 
advantageous rates and additional benefits for our members 
such as early check-in, room upgrades, complimentary 
breakfast and spa vouchers

 > Creation of our Essential Collection, a portfolio of three 

and four-star hotels that provide great value through low 
rates and excellent global coverage

Offers and Events 
 > Expansion of our popular Ten hosted events beyond the UK to 
Hong Kong, Singapore, China and the UAE. Members enjoy our 
events which result in high NPS and a 90% attendance rate.

8

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

STRATEGIC REPORTMarkets

A HUGE GLOBAL MARKET

Ten’s mission is to become 
the most trusted service in the 
world by becoming the best way 
to organise and book travel, 
entertainment, eating out and 
wider other lifestyle areas too, 
notably premium retail.

These are huge markets overall; the 
total global market sizes of Travel ($2.8tn)1, 
Eating out ($2.4tn)2, Live Entertainment 
($2.1tn)3 and High-end retail ($0.4tn)4 
aggregate to a $7.7tn5 total. In each of 
these areas, Ten has the opportunity to 
win a share of the sizeable addressable 
segments for our target group.

This higher customer group are a large 
and growing segment. In 2018 there were 
22.4m high-net-worth individuals globally, 
with a combined net worth of $61.3tr6.

This and the even larger “mass 
affluent” segment just below it are the 
demographics we are aiming to convert 
to using our services.

Our focus on this higher value end of 
the market helps us because it means 
we can add more value to our suppliers, 
and so win better benefits from them. 
This group also can justify higher levels 
of ‘per capita’ investment into our services 
from corporate clients.

Travel

Eating out

Live entertainment

High-end retail

Strategy
 > We offer the best 

access to premium 
restaurants

 > We offer the best 
recommendations 
for eating out globally

 > We offer a choice 
of online bookings 
or expert Lifestyle 
Manager support

Progress
 > We have over 600 
of the world’s top 
restaurants in more 
than 25 cities who 
provide us with 
guaranteed tables 
at peak times 
(“Ten’s Held Tables”)

 > We have our own 

curated and searchable 
reviews of c.9,000 of the 
world’s top restaurants 
with priority access 
(and often benefits too) 
at over 70% of them

 > Requests can be 

managed on our digital 
platform or with our 
dining experts 24/7

Strategy
 > We offer both expert 
“high-touch” support 
and a digital platform

 > We use our buying 
power to negotiate 
great benefits across 
all key aspects of travel

 > Over 85% of Net 

Revenue is service 
or subscription fee 
income, unlike the 
travel industry norm. 
This allows us to offer 
better value 

Progress
 > We became the first 
company of our kind 
to offer a transactional 
digital platform across 
flights, hotels and 
car hire

 > We have extended the 
number of hotels that 
offer additional benefits 
(e.g. complimentary 
breakfast or free room 
upgrade) for our 
members from 
1,800 to 2,400 

 > We are aiming for 

a value proposition 
which typically matches 
our offers “same price 
or better value” as 
compared to popular 
Online Travel 
Agents (OTA)

Strategy
 > We are able to secure 
face-value tickets for 
our members to the 
live events they want

 > We offer digital 

and expert support

Progress
 > Improved success 

rate for securing general 
sale face-value tickets 
for our members in our 
core ticket markets

 > Requests can be 

managed on our digital 
platform or with our 
live event experts 24/7

Strategy
 > We offer benefits to 
buy desirable items

 > We offer retail events 
to our members that 
they value

Progress
 > Ten hosted over 100 
events run globally 
this year

 > Over 250 offers currently 
hosted on our enhanced 
digital platform

 > 148 complementary 

events organised in the 
period (2018: 106)

References: 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

 Source: World Travel & Tourism Council: Travel & Tourism Benchmarking Reports 
2019 – June 2019.

 Adam Wermer et al., Alix Partners, LLP (2016) Alix Partners. Global Restaurant 
Outlook: Feeding the global consumer. Available at http://www.alixpartners.com/
insights-impact/insights/global-restaurant-outlook-feeding-the-global-consumer/
(Accessed: 13 November 2019).

 PwC (2019), Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2019 – 2023. Available at: http://
www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/tmt/media/outlook.html (Accessed: 13 November 2019).

 HKExnews, Frost & Sullivan (2018), Global Retail Market Size from 2011 to 2021, 
January 2018.

The total market size is an estimation based on market reports for our key categories.

 White & Shaban, Wealth-X PTE. Ltd (2019) High Net Worth Handbook 2019. 
Available at: https://www.wealthx.com/report/world-ultra-wealth-report-2019/
(Accessed: 13 November 2019).

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

9

Strategic ReportBusiness Model

Ten partners most often with blue-chip corporate clients across a range of markets to deliver 
technology-enabled travel and lifestyle services, to their most valuable customers.

Our world view
We continue to believe that for individuals and their families 
to thrive, they want to be supported by people, technologies 
and services that they can trust to have their best interests 
at heart and deliver to their individual needs. It is Ten’s 
ambition to become the most trusted service in the world 
by continuing to meet people’s needs better than any other 
service provider – notably in travel, eating out, entertainment, 
and selected retail markets. 

1. Technology driven
Our continued digital transformation (further detailed on page 5) 
enables us to personalise the service to the member’s currency, 
location and individual needs as well as offering the member 
a choice of communication channels. Eligible members can 
call a Lifestyle Manager 24/7/365 to enjoy a “high-touch” 
concierge service, “self-serve” by completing a transaction 
online or live chat on the Ten Platform for an enhanced 
online experience. This also drives service delivery efficiency.

2. Multi-category 
To provide enough frequency of contact to become 
central to our members’ lives, we support our members 
across multiple areas – notably eating out, all types of travel, 
entertainment, and selected retail markets. In these areas 
we can organise and negotiate better access, benefits and/or 
prices for our members than they can typically achieve on 
their own. By being multi-category, we can support on an 
entire area of need, e.g. “a weekend in Paris” rather than 
just siloed travel or entertainment or dining components. 
This multi-category approach also allows us to learn more 
about the individual members and tailor our service to 
their needs.

3. Members first
The commercial incentive in our business model is primarily 
designed to align us with our members, not to create value 
for our third-party suppliers. Our subscription, or service 
fee, revenue stream allows us to be on the members’ side 
with no conflict of interest. Furthermore, not being reliant on 
commissions or mark-ups enables material differentiation 
both in terms of value and access. 

4. Closed user group
Our members benefit from having access to an exclusive 
service closed to non-members (a closed user group). 
By having a closed group of wealthy or affluent people as our 
members, we can demand better service and benefits from 
our suppliers than if we were mass market. 

10

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Ten’s virtuous circle, driving both 
service quality and efficiency in 
each geography 

First 
request

s ts

1,000 req u e
10,000 re q u e s t

20,000 req u e s t

s

s

1. Technology investment drives both “high-touch” 
efficiency and speed and improves member 
digital experience

2. Lifestyle Manager efficiency and knowledge builds 

with request volume and experience

3. Scale and “time in market” improve access, 
integration and benefits/rates with suppliers

4. Central costs can reduce as a percentage of revenue

1 to 4 drive profitable growth in both service levels 
and efficiency, which allow the virtuous circle to repeat.

STRATEGIC REPORTRevenue model

1

Subscription led 

2

Service-related revenue 

Other service-related, revenue-generating 
activities paid for by Ten’s corporate clients 
include negotiating special offers or benefits 
with suppliers and creating bespoke 
editorial content.

Ten also earns revenue from its supplier base, 
such as hotels, airlines, and event promoters 
which sometimes pay commission to Ten. 
This constituted 12% of Net Revenue for the 
year. Ten does not typically negotiate higher 
levels of supplier commissions but instead 
focuses on negotiating the best member 
benefits to drive member satisfaction.

Examples of member benefits negotiated 
for specific corporate partners: our wealthy 
and mass affluent demographic allows us to 
negotiate far better services than we could 
negotiate for the general public, from the free 
loan of a premium brand car for a weekend, to 
a luxury brand shopper evening with champagne 
and canapés. Many suppliers – from hotel 
groups and airlines to entertainment venues 
and retailers – are willing to offer better prices 
and/or value-add benefits for our valuable 
customer segments.

Ten’s services are generally made available 
to members through Ten’s corporate clients 
which pay for Ten’s services on their individual 
customers’ behalf. Most of Ten’s corporate clients 
are financial services institutions which offer 
Ten’s services as part of their benefits package, 
which are complementary to their products 
such as premium credit cards or premium 
banking or wealth management services.

By offering Ten’s services, corporate 
clients expect to see resulting improvements 
to their customer metrics that drive their 
profitability, including customer retention, 
value, and advocacy. Ten’s corporate clients 
include private banks, retail banks, premium 
payment card providers and luxury brands 
which offer Ten’s services to segments 
of their premium customers.

Ten typically charges its corporate clients 
on a “per request” basis – whether high touch 
(which involves a Lifestyle Manager) or low 
touch (which is completely or largely fulfilled 
through the Ten Platform). A request is typically 
an instruction received from a member to 
research, advise or arrange something on 
their behalf. Requests principally relate to 
travel, dining, and live entertainment, but 
can extend to more general lifestyle and 
retail support services.

Profitability
There are two main profit drivers:

3

Revenue from the 
Ten platform

The Ten Platform is an end-to-end 
fully transactional platform for concierge 
services and is Ten’s digital interface with 
members. Members can use smartphones, 
desktop computers and tablets to access 
the Ten Platform on a self-serve basis. 
Members can choose from five core modules: 
Travel, Dining, Entertainment, Events, and 
Benefits. These modules feature content, 
Ten-procured inventory and – varying by 
market – API integrations with suppliers 
and providers (airlines in Travel, or ticketing 
providers in Entertainment, for example). 
The result is a data-rich, end-to-end 
transactional platform that mirrors the 
service level, access, and proposition 
of the Lifestyle Manager-led service.

Ten derives some revenues from developing, 
customising and integrating the Ten Platform 
for clients. We also have additional revenue 
from delivering and licensing our digital 
platform to corporate clients.

1

Improved use of technology

2

Improving maturity of our 
operations in markets

Technology allows us to deliver a better and more efficient 
service and also to sell more effectively to corporate clients 
because of the positive impact that it has on service levels 
and the cost of service delivery.

As we mature in each region, we have more experienced 
Lifestyle Managers and management and a more established 
supplier base. This improves efficiency of service delivery, 
driving margins.

We also benefit from an improved competitive position as our technology and service levels create more competitive advantage and 
add more value for our corporate partners. As we become larger and more mature, our service levels and efficiency improve. The first 
drives more use of the service by existing and new members and enables us to win and grow more corporate contracts. The second 
allows us to invest more into growth, or to leverage the reduced cost of service delivery to launch into new markets. The virtuous circle 
at the heart of our business is illustrated on page 10.

Alan Donald, our CFO, gives more detail on our financial performance in the Financial Review on page 14.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

11

Strategic ReportStrategy

A STRATEGY FOR GROWTH

Our strategy focuses on four key areas: enabling the Company to deliver world-class member 
experience, investing in technology, expanding contracts with existing clients and developing 
our foothold in new markets by leveraging our market-leading service proposition. 

1. IMPROVE MEMBER E XPERIENCE 

2. CONTINUE TO INVEST INTO TECHNOLOGY

This improves efficiency and service quality, driving operational 
profitability, and providing a clear and demonstrable point of 
differentiation for Ten.

Our aim
We aim to use technology to help our members’ experience, our 
efficiency and also deliver differentiation and commercial impact 
for our corporate clients.

Progress in the year 
Over the year we continued to roll out and promote our 
enhanced digital, member-facing platform, and we also 
improved the TenMAID technology used by our Lifestyle 
Managers. The enhanced platform is improving each quarter 
with better user experience (UX) user interface (UI) as well as 
enhanced features and assets. This investment continues to 
be significant, developing our platform and TenMAID and 
associated editorial and content.

The Ten Platform is now live with 14 client brands, customised 
to 29 countries and live for members in a further 77 countries 
globally, supporting 38 currencies and 15 languages.

We are pleased that we retained our PCI DSS Level 1 
accreditation during the year and, for the first time, achieved 
SOC Type 2 certification, which provides comfort to our corporate 
clients around our data and payment security measures.

Read more about our Digital Transformation on page 5. 

Looking ahead
We expect that the impact of this technology investment on 
efficiency and service quality will continue to be felt in 2020 
and beyond.

Improving service levels means that members increasingly 
benefit from the service, helping to drive corporate partner 
investment from new and existing clients as we deliver 
improvements to their customers’ value metrics.

Our aim
In the year, we aimed to deliver improved digital service levels 
by improving the look, feel, speed and usability of the digital 
platform. We also aim to improve “high-touch” service levels from 
our Lifestyle Managers through a more experienced employee 
group and better training and management as well as improving 
the depth and breadth of both the content and the supplier base 
used both on the digital platform and by Lifestyle Managers.

Progress in the year 
We enjoyed record Net Promoter Scores (NPS) in the year. 
Service levels, measured by NPS, have improved again in each 
of the global regions in 2019 (EMEA, the Americas and APAC). 
We measure this primarily by gathering NPS in each region. 
We also measure against our own internal quality assurance 
standards and use a basket of other measures to build an 
in-depth understanding of the drivers of member satisfaction. 
These include response times, tone of voice, the level of 
personalisation on a request and the relevant success criteria on 
different types of request (e.g. Were we able to buy face-value 
tickets for the popular show? Were we able to secure the 
desired table at the top restaurant? Did the member book 
the suggested hotel or flight through us?).

Where we have taken over concierge servicing from an 
incumbent competitor during the year, each of our corporate 
clients of the Medium or Large new contract launches have told 
us that they believe that we had improved on the service levels 
of the previous providers. 

We consider both our high-touch and digitally delivered services 
to be increasingly well engineered.

Looking ahead
We believe that we deliver improved high-touch service levels 
though a mixture of ingredients that include well-developed 
hiring and training programmes, strong and positive performance 
management, improving technology and systems, improving 
leverage with our supplier base, a greater depth and range 
of pre-prepared content, faster response times and a focus 
on retaining a service culture. 

12

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

STRATEGIC REPORT3. E XPAND E XISTING CONTR ACTS

4. DE VELOP NEW CONTR ACT OPPORTUNITIES

Ten categorises its key corporate client contracts based on the 
annualised value paid, or expected to be paid, by the corporate 
client for the provision of concierge and related services. This 
does not include the revenue generated from suppliers through 
the provision of concierge services. Since year end, we announced 
that one further contract is expected to grow to become our third 
Extra Large contract from early calendar year 2020. Ten’s contract 
classifications are now: Extra Large contracts (over £5.0m), 
Large contracts (over £2.0m), Medium contracts (between 
£0.25m and £2.0m) and Small contracts (below £0.25m).

Our aim
We aim to grow existing contracts organically as our corporate 
clients appreciate the value that we add to their commercial 
metrics – notably our positive impact on retention, value and 
acquisition of their target clients. This is enabled by growing 
demand from a customer base as they discover the service and 
we benefit from new users and repeat use from satisfied users 
of the service. 

Progress in the year 
Ten partners with over 50 corporate partners across the Group. 
Extra Large, Large and Medium contracts represented 81% 
(2018: 79%) of its total Net Revenue. 

We managed to grow our existing client portfolio by 13% during 
the year as we worked with our clients to deliver a stronger 
member engagement with our services. 

Extra Large, Large and Medium contracts are typically of a 
multi-year duration of three years or more. 

Looking ahead
Ten’s Net Revenue growth in the year has largely been delivered 
by growth in existing clients as well as annualised impact of 
new clients won in 2018 predominantly within financial services. 
The contracts are currently focused on defined groups of their 
premium customers. As Ten demonstrates the commercial 
impact of its high service levels and continues to build out its 
technology, having these blue-chip contracts ensures the Group 
is well placed to grow its concierge services with these clients 
and via new clients, and continue to grow its Net Revenue.

Our aim
We aimed to widen the Group’s reach on top of the organic 
growth of our existing, largely financial services clients which 
are predominantly in the premium payment card space and 
retail and private banks. 

Progress in the year 
In the year, we won new contracts in our financial services 
markets and won our first fintech contract with the Revolut 
Metal card, which we started to service in October 2019. 
This allows Revolut to create revenue and profit by benefiting 
from a premium offering. 

Outside of financial services, we have won a TMT contract that 
we expect to launch in early 2020 to enable a TMT consumer 
brand to improve retention and create revenue and profit by 
benefiting from a premium offering. 

We also have explored the employee loyalty market and 
believe leading employers are interested in providing lifestyle 
management support to their valued employees to save time 
and increase staff productivity, retention, and morale. 

Ten has a small private membership base. Historically private 
membership has not been a focus for the Group. We did not turn 
on any marketing efforts in the reported year but we have prepared 
operationally to test limited marketing for this offering in 2020.

Looking ahead
We expect to develop new markets where corporates will benefit 
from improved customer metrics by providing the high service levels 
we offer, both via our digital platform and our Lifestyle Managers. 
We expect to test direct to consumer marketing in key markets, 
partly to test whether this can become an acquisition channel for 
our existing corporate clients – e.g. an individual discovers our 
private membership and then may decide to move their banking 
relationship to a client in order to benefit from complementary 
services. We will also learn more about how powerful our 
proposition might be in the TMT market and other new sectors.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

13

Strategic ReportFinancial Review

CONTINUED INVESTMENT DELIVERS 
STRONG NET REVENUE GROWTH

Alan Donald
Chief Financial Officer

“ Net Revenue increased 
by 23% compared to 
the previous year. Our 
continued investment in 
technology and people 
is delivering Net Revenue 
growth and positions the 
Group well for further 
growth in the future.”

Revenue 

Net Revenue
Operating expenses and other income

Adjusted EBITA
Adjusted EBITA %

Amortisation

Share-based payments and exceptional Items charge

Operating loss before interest and tax 
Net finance income/(expense)

Loss before taxation
Taxation 

Loss for the year 

Net cash at 31 August

2019
£m

49.1

45.8

(50.1)

(4.3)

(9.4%)

(3.0)

(0.5)

(7.8)

0.5

(7.3)

(1.0)

(8.3)

12.3

2018
£m

40.1

37.4

(41.3)

(3.9)

(10.4%)

(2.8)

(1.3)

(8.0)

(0.5)

(8.5)

0.4

(8.1)

20.7

Having joined the Group in June 2019, I am delighted for the first time to present 
a review of the Group’s financial performance for the past year.

Revenue and Net Revenue
Net Revenue1 for the twelve months to 
31 August 2019 was £45.8m, up 23% 
compared to the prior year. Revenue for 
the twelve months to 31 August 2019 was 
£49.1m, up 22% on the twelve months 
to 31 August 2018. Net Revenue, which 
excludes the direct cost of sales relating 
to member transactions managed by 
the Group, is Ten’s preferred measure 
of operating revenues as it excludes the 
cost of member transactions where we 
are the principal service provider (i.e cost 
of airline tickets sold under the Group’s 
ATOL licences).

Contract movements
Net Revenue growth has been supported 
by a combination of annualised growth 
on new contracts won in 2018 of just over 
a third, in addition to growth in existing 
contracts, which accounts for just over 
half of the growth.

Contracts by size2

2019

2018

Change

Extra Large

Large

Medium

2

5

17

24

—

6

18

24

+2

-1

-1

—

Net Revenue £m

£45.8m

2018: £37.4m  
+23%

Adjusted EBITA margin

(9.4)%

2018: (10.4)%

1 

 Net Revenue excludes the direct cost of sales relating to certain member transactions managed by the Group.

14

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

STRATEGIC REPORTThe “contract bridge” table below sets out the movements 
in active contracts during the year, including the following:

 > two existing contracts grew to be Extra Large;
 > one Medium contract and one Large contract were won 
and both launched in the year, offsetting two losses;

 > a Medium contract was consolidated into an existing Medium 

contract to reflect the provision of services; and

 > we won a number of Small contracts that have the potential 

to grow into Medium contracts in the coming year.

Contracts bridge

Medium

Large

At 31 August 2018

Movements1

Won

Lost

Consolidated2

31 August 2019

18

—

+1

-1

-1

17

6

-1

+1

-1

—

5

Extra
 Large

—

+2

—

—

—

2

Total

24

+1

+2

-2

-1

24

1  Net movement of contracts between contract sizes.

2  Number of contracts consolidated with an existing contract.

Contracts signed but not launched
In addition to the active contracts detailed above, contracts with 
Revolut and with a TMT brand were signed but not launched 
during the year. As reported in the year, both contracts are 
expected to be Large contracts in annualised terms.

Contracts by region
The overall number of Medium, Large and Extra Large 
contracts are flat year on year and the table below splits 
out contracts by region.

Contract by region 

2019

2018

change

EMEA

Americas

APAC

Global

8

11

4

1

24

9

10

4

1

24

-1

+1

—

—

—

While there is a clear overlap between the geographic location 
of our clients and their members’ requests, members use our 
concierge services across all the regions. Therefore, our segmental 
revenue reporting reflects our servicing location rather than the 
location of our corporate clients. This allows us to understand 
and track the efficiency and profitability of our operations around 
the world, so our segmental financial reporting is a more relevant 
measure on this basis.

Net Revenue

EMEA

Americas

APAC

2019
£m

20.5

15.8

9.5

45.8

2018

£m % change

17.4

11.4

8.6

37.4

18%

38%

11%

23%

EMEA Net Revenue increased by 18% with growth from our 
existing clients as well as the annualised impact of new contracts.

In the Americas, we have delivered 38% Net Revenue growth 
primarily due to the annualised impact of contract launches in 
2018 and a new Large contract launched in the year together 
with growth in our existing client portfolio.

In APAC, we achieved 11% Net Revenue growth with a 
combination of new contracts and existing client growth 
despite the loss of a Large contract in the last quarter 
of the financial year.

Operating expenses and other income
The year to 31 August 2019 was a continued period of 
investment for the Group; operating expenses and other 
income increased from £41.3m in the same period in 2018 
to £50.2m. Direct operational costs have increased at a lower 
level than Net Revenue as we deliver efficiencies across the 
business, with the majority of cost increases being further 
investment in IT development and infrastructure, together 
with editorial and content resource.

Adjusted EBITA margin
Whilst Adjusted EBITA is not a statutory measure, the 
Board believes it is necessary to include this as an additional 
metric as it is one of the main measures of performance used 
within the business and the principal profit measure for senior 
management. It reflects the underlying profitability of our business 
operations, excluding amortisation of historical investment in 
platform infrastructures, exceptional costs and share-based 
payment expense.

Adjusted EBITA, as reported, takes account of all costs in 
the Group, other than amortisation of £3.0m (2018: £2.8m), 
share-based payment expenses of £0.5m (2018: £0.9m) and 
exceptional costs of £nil (2018: £0.4m). On this basis, Adjusted 
EBITA was a loss of £4.3m (2018: £3.9m). This full year loss 
was split between the unaudited reported loss in H1 of £2.9m 
and a lower second half (unaudited) loss, totalling £1.4m.

2 

 Ten categorises its corporate client contracts based on the annualised value paid, 
or expected to be paid, by the corporate client for the provision of concierge and related 
services by Ten as: Small contracts (below £0.25m); Medium contracts (between 
£0.25m and £2m); Large contracts (over £2m); and Extra Large contracts (over £5m). 
This does not include the revenue generated from suppliers through the provision 
of concierge services.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

15

Strategic Report 
 
Financial Review continued

Adjusted EBITA margin continued
After allocating the indirect costs of 
the central IT, infrastructure, software 
development, property, senior management 
and other central costs, the Adjusted 
EBITA for each regional segment is 
as below:

Whilst operational efficiencies have been 
delivered in the year, the overall margin 
has declined from 18% to 9% due to 
the allocation of increased expenditure 
of content, technology, infrastructure 
and other central costs to support our 
future growth.

The Americas region Adjusted EBITA 
loss has improved by £2.1m compared 
to last year. Increased Net Revenue 
has contributed to this improvement 
as we leverage large investments in the 
previous two years. We now have market 
capability and infrastructure to support 
future growth and we will continue to 
leverage our scale as we move towards 
maturity and profitability over time.

The APAC region Adjusted EBITA 
loss has increased in the year by £1.3m. 
Operational efficiencies were impacted 
by the loss of a Large contract towards 
the end of the year as we made the 
decision to retain resources to support 
future growth. In addition, the allocation 
of increased investment spend as detailed 
above has further increased the loss.

Adjusted EBITA

EMEA

Americas

APAC

2019
£m

1.9

(4.7)

(1.5)

2018
£m

3.1

(6.8)

(0.2)

Total
Adjusted EBITA % (9.4)%  (10.4)%

(4.3)

(3.9)

Adjusted EBITA margin in EMEA, defined as 
our Adjusted EBITA as a percentage of Net 
Revenue, has declined during the year.

Group cash flow

Loss before tax
Net finance income

Net working capital inflow

Non-cash items (share-based payments, depreciation and amortisation charges)

Cash used by operations
Capital expenditure

Investment in intangibles

Tax (paid/received)

Cash outflow 

Financing activities
Equity from listing on the AIM

Other equity issued in the period

Movement in shareholder loans

Repayment of finance leases and interest paid

Cash from financing activities

(Decrease)/increase in cash

Cash balance

16

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Amortisation
Amortisation costs, relating to our 
internal platform (TenMAID) and our 
customer-facing platforms, were £3.0m 
in 2019 (2018: £2.8m) reflecting our 
continued investment in technology 
that drives service levels, efficiency 
and competitive advantage.

Net finance income/(expense)
Net finance income in the year was 
£0.5m (2018: expense of £0.5m); the 
income of £0.5m has been driven by 
the translation of balances denominated 
in foreign currencies in the year.

Exceptional costs and 
share-based payments charge
The share-based payments charge 
in the year was £0.5m (2018: £0.9m) 
which reflected grants made under 
management incentive plans established 
after listing on AIM (see note 25 to 
the accounts). Exceptional costs 
were £nil (2018: £0.4m).

2019
£m

(7.3)

—

0.7

4.5

(2.1)

(1.2)

(4.3)

(0.5)

(8.1)

—

(0.1)

—

(0.1)

(0.2)

(8.3)

12.3

2018
£m

(8.5)

0.5

0.5

4.4

(3.1)

(1.5)

(4.3)

0.4

(8.5)

25.1

0.3

(3.9)

(0.2)

21.3

12.8

20.7

STRATEGIC REPORTLoss before tax
The loss before tax decreased from £8.5m in 2018 to £7.3m.

Taxation
The taxation charge for the year was £1.0m (2018: credit of £0.4m) which related to tax liabilities and payments due in profitable 
overseas entities. In the previous financial year, the taxation charge was net of R&D tax credits (£0.75m) received in the year under 
the small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) R&D tax relief scheme and therefore was in a credit position. The Group now claims 
R&D tax relief under the R&D expenditure credit (RDEC) scheme in which there is a credit to the Other Income line in the profit 
and loss account.

Loss per share
The total comprehensive loss for the year was £8.3m (2018: £8.1m), resulting in a loss per share (excluding treasury shares) 
of 10.3p (2018: 11.1p). The Board does not recommend the payment of a dividend.

Operating cash outflows were £2.1m (2018: £3.1m), primarily reflecting the operating loss previously noted. Expenditure on our IT 
infrastructure and the digital platform (£5.5m), which are capitalised, contributed to the overall cash outflow of £8.3m. Cash reduction 
in H1 was £7.5m (unaudited) and this improved significantly in the second half of the year with a reduction of £0.8m (unaudited).

Group balance sheet

Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Cash 

Other current assets

Total current liabilities

Net assets

Share capital/share premium

Reserves

Total equity

2019
£m

9.0

1.8

12.3

11.1

(13.3)

20.9

28.6

(7.7)

20.9

2018
£m

7.7

1.7

20.7

9.1

(10.5)

28.7

28.6

0.1

28.7

Net assets were £20.9m (2018: £28.7m), the reduction in the year is due to cash investments to support growth. The Group has 
no long-term borrowings.

In relation to the Company balance sheet, on 30 August the Company increased its investment in Ten Lifestyle Management Ltd 
subscribing for 39,404,317 shares for cash at £1 per share, satisfied by the release of debt by Ten Lifestyle Management Ltd to the 
Company of £39.4m. This transaction was completed to reduce the level of borrowings at the subsidiary level, which will assist with 
supplier arrangements and licence renewals.

Alan Donald
Chief Financial Officer
25 November 2019

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

17

Strategic ReportFinancial Review continued

Alan Donald
Chief Financial Officer

Q&A WITH
ALAN DONALD

Welcome to Ten – why did you 
decide to join the Group? 
The most compelling reason for me joining 
the Group was the opportunity to be part of 
a business that is growing, entrepreneurial 
in its outlook, investing in technology and 
one that puts the member at the heart of 
everything it does. I was also impressed 
that the Group has been in existence for 
21 years and by the wealth of experience 
and knowledge held by its people. I believe 
this to be a crucial success factor as we 
move forward with our growth plans.

What are your first impressions?
My first impressions after nearly five months 
in the business are extremely positive. 
We have fantastic people across the 
business, from our Lifestyle Managers 
on the front line to our support functions 
including my own finance team. There is a 
strong ethos of doing what’s right for the 
member and this comes through in our 
NPS scores. Record NPS scores across 
the Group are testament to the quality 
of service we are delivering and ultimately 
will drive profitability and cash generation.

What has been the biggest challenge 
since you took over the role of CFO 
in June?
Personally, the biggest challenge was 
coming into a finance function that totals 
around 20 people compared to my previous 
experience of running teams of 60–300+ 
globally. The advantage of a smaller team 
is that you are able to build more personal 
relationships with each member of the team, 
thereby developing a deeper understanding 
of both the challenges and opportunities 
within the finance function. 

Where does the biggest opportunity lie?
I believe the biggest opportunity lies with 
our existing customer base, together with 
new business growth (both winning new 
clients and developing existing clients). 
We have a world-class client base and 
the opportunity to grow and innovate with 
them, continuing to deliver best-in-class 
service. Ten is able to offer services that 
not only leverage our travel capabilities, 
but also link to our dining and entertainment 
expertise in locations across the world.

What is going to drive future 
performance?
We need to continue to invest in our 
technology and our people to become 
the world’s most trusted service. As we 
grow, we will be able to leverage economies 
of scale, operate more efficiently and 
deliver a service that is second to none.

How is technology 
impacting operations?
As we grow our business, technology 
will continue to be a key driver to improve 
our operational efficiency and our ability 
to scale up the business. Technology 
supports our interactions with members 
both from a high-touch and purely online 
perspective, giving them greater choice 
in terms of the ways they are serviced 
by our Lifestyle Managers. Technology 
is also instrumental in allowing us to 
personalise our engagement with our 
members by better understanding their 
preferences and needs.

18

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

STRATEGIC REPORTKey Performance Indicators

MEASURING OUR GROWTH

The Group monitors its performance using a number of financial performance indicators which 
are agreed at Board meetings and monitored at operational and Board level.

Net Revenue

Net Revenue growth

Adjusted EBITA margin %

£45.8m

2018: £37.4m

23%

2018: 13%

(9.4)%

2018: (10.4)%

1
.
5

2
.
3
3

4
.
7
3

8
.
5
4

7
3

3
1

3
2

)
4
.
0
1
(

)
4
.
9
(

17

18

19

17

18

19

17

18

19

Number of Extra Large contracts1

Number of Large contracts

Number of Medium contracts

2

2018: 0

5

2018: 6

17

2018: 18

0

0

2

4

6

5

1
1

8
1

7
1

17

18

19

17

18

19

17

18

19

1 

 Ten categorises its corporate client contracts based on the annualised value paid, or expected to be paid, by the corporate client for the provision of concierge and related services 
by Ten as: Small contracts (below £0.25m); Medium contracts (between £0.25m and £2m); Large contracts (over £2m); and Extra Large contracts (over £5m). This does not include 
the revenue generated from suppliers through the provision of concierge services.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

19

Strategic ReportPrincipal Risks and Uncertainties

The Board considers the risks set out below to be the principal risks to the Group’s business. The risks facing the Group 
are monitored and mitigated using a risk management and internal control framework, as further described on page 27 of the 
Corporate Governance Statement and page 30 of the Audit and Risk Committee Report. The Board recognises that the nature 
and scope of risks can change and there may be other risks to which the Group is exposed so the list is not intended to be exhaustive.

OPERATIONAL

Loss of key clients

Risk and  
potential impacts

Mitigation

Change from FY 2018 
and more information

The loss or downsizing of one or more 
Medium, Large or Extra Large contracts, 
for any reason, without the ability to mitigate 
the loss by entering into a similar contract, 
would impact the cash generation and 
revenue growth expected to deliver the 
Group’s strategic plan.

No change

Read more about how we 
expand existing contracts 
and develop new contract 
opportunities on page 13.

The Group’s client services team 
works with key client contacts on 
an almost daily basis and delivers 
data-driven reporting to illustrate the 
value of the Group’s services to the 
client’s business. Relationships are 
monitored and reinforced through 
periodic engagement with the client’s 
leadership teams. Most corporate 
contracts are stable or growing and 
are renewed on a multi-year basis.

International 
expansion and 
impact of Brexit

The Group continues to expand in existing 
geographies and move into new markets. 
Offices have been opened in Moscow and 
Oslo and the service has been launched 
in new countries and languages during 
the period. 

Since opening its first overseas office 
in 2006, Ten has developed a robust 
commercial and compliance process 
for planning and implementing expansion 
plans, which are reviewed and approved 
in advance by the Board. 

No change

Details of the locations 
of our global offices are set 
out on page 2 and our 
global markets on page 9. 

Expansion activities present new 
commercial and regulatory challenges. 
Failure to develop the right teams, deliver 
tailored services or comply with local 
requirements in new and growing markets 
may have adverse consequences on the 
Group’s growth strategy as well as 
regulatory consequences.

The business hires experienced personnel 
in new markets, with clear reporting lines 
and support from experienced senior 
management. The Group continues to 
evaluate the suitability of its panel of 
advisers engaged locally to navigate 
national regulatory requirements 
alongside internal specialists.

The vote by the United Kingdom (UK) to exit 
the European Union (EU), on 23 June 2016, 
and the formal process initiated by the UK 
government to withdraw from the EU, or 
Brexit, has created significant volatility in the 
global financial markets.

Directors currently deem the effects 
of the UK’s withdrawal process from 
the EU will not have a significant impact 
on the Company’s operations due to the 
nature of its operations and that a 
proportion of the business is outside 
the UK and EU. However, the Board 
and Senior Leadership Team are 
constantly monitoring the situation.

Supplier 
relationships

The Group engages suppliers 
to support central business services, 
including: office space; IT infrastructure; 
technology platforms; payment services; 
and telephony, as well as a wide range 
of third-party suppliers of goods and/or 
services, including providers of: travel; 
tickets; dining; and retail.

The Group maintains robust commercial 
and contractual relations with all critical 
suppliers and the business is clear on 
which alternative suppliers there are in 
the market should a change be required. 
The Group’s tested recovery protocol 
also plans for the loss of key suppliers 
on the Group’s infrastructure.

No change

Details of our  
service-related revenue 
and supplier relationship 
strategy are set out 
on page 11.

Underperforming suppliers without 
the availability of suitable replacements 
may result in loss of functionality and 
service levels.

Initial and regular due diligence checks 
are conducted on key suppliers to test 
their creditworthiness as well as contract 
and regulatory compliance.

20

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

STRATEGIC REPORTRisk and  
potential impacts

Mitigation

Change from FY 2018 
and more information

TECHNOLOGY

Technological 
underperformance, 
failure or 
interruption

Material underperformance of the 
Ten Platform, TenMAID or the Group’s 
telephony infrastructure could result 
in contractual risk, delayed launches 
and member dissatisfaction. 

Cyber security and 
service disruptions

Depending on the cause and/or severity 
of the incident, the Group’s reputation 
and ability to win new business may 
be harmed.

Delivering the Group’s service proposition 
leverages significant online technology, 
exposing the business to a variety of cyber 
threats including denial of service attacks, 
hacking or malware that may result in 
compromise of the availability, confidentiality 
or integrity of member data. 

A failure to manage and mitigate  
cyber-related incidents affecting infrastructure 
and websites may lead to unavailability 
of services and access to or compromise 
of data, which could have reputational, 
financial and regulatory consequences. 
Loss of security certifications would result 
in contractual risk.

MACROECONOMIC/MARKET

Competitor risk

The Group operates in a highly 
competitive market with the potential 
for emerging new technologies and 
service innovations.

The Group is also subject to competitive 
pricing models which have the potential 
to adversely affect the Group’s business, 
operations and financial condition.

No change

Find out more about our 
Digital Transformation on 
page 5.

Reduced by securing SOC 
Type 2 compliance

Find out more about our 
Digital Transformation on 
page 5.

No change

Read about how our 
strategies strengthen 
our competitive advantage 
on pages 12 and 13.

The Group continues to make 
significant investments into technology 
upgrades of the Group’s technology 
hardware and cloud-based infrastructure, 
including the Ten Platform and TenMAID. 
The Group’s digital roadmap plans for 
the development of innovative features 
while maintaining a resilient architecture.

Robust back-up and recovery 
processes and procedures are in place 
to minimise any disruption to services. 

The Group continues to invest in what 
the Board believes to be ‘best in class’ 
security software and processes. The 
Group is Payment Card Industry Data 
Security Standard Level 1 (PCI DSS) 
certified. During the period, the Group 
has also been successfully certified 
as SOC Type 2 compliant. 

PCI DSS and SOC Type 2 audits are 
conducted by independent external 
auditors each year and augment the 
other checks that are run by the Group 
and by our other corporate clients.

The Directors believe that the 
Ten Platform is the market-leading 
omnichannel concierge platform 
with end-to-end transaction capability. 
It has added to the Group’s competitive 
advantage, supporting several 
competitive tender wins during the 
period. The Group will continue to 
invest in its proprietary technology and 
key third-party supplier relationships to 
maintain this competitive advantage. 

Price pressures can result in downward 
pressure on gross margins and the risk 
that the Group’s propositions are not 
considered to represent value for money. 
The Group therefore monitors market 
prices on an ongoing basis.

This Strategic Report and information referred to herein was approved on behalf of the Board on 25 November 2019.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

21

Strategic ReportCORPORATE 
GOVERNANCE

CUSTOMER PROPOSITION

Bring Ten’s service to life by visiting www.tenlifestylegroup.com

Corporate Governance
Introduction from Chairman 

Board of Directors 
Statement of Corporate Governance 

Audit and Risk Committee Report 

Nomination Committee Report 

Remuneration Committee Report 

Directors’ Report 

23

24
26

29

31

32

35

22

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEAll content for visual purposes onlyIntroduction from the Chairman

A CULTURE TO DELIVER SUCCESS

The Company was admitted to the London Stock Exchange’s (LSE) AIM market for smaller 
growing companies in November 2017.

Introduction from the Chairman
The Directors recognise the value and importance of robust corporate governance. 
Since joining the Board prior to its IPO in November 2017, it has been a focus of mine 
to lead the Board in formulating and implementing its approach to governance, which 
is summarised in this section of the report.

Last year, the Company adopted the Quoted Companies Alliance’s (QCA) Corporate 
Governance Code for Small and Mid-Size Quoted Companies (“QCA Code”). The Board 
believes that it complies with all of the principles of the QCA Code through its governance 
practices which ensure that the Company has the right people, strategy and culture 
to deliver the Company’s strategies for success in the medium to long term.

This is described in more detail on page 28.

Bruce Weatherill
Chairman
25 November 2019

Bruce Weatherill
Chairman

Board meetings held during FY19

Board composition by gender
% of women

Time since admission to AIM
number of years

13

2018: 14

28.6%

2018: 28.6%

2

2018: 1

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

23

Corporate GovernanceBoard of Directors

A N

N

Bruce Weatherill
Independent  
Non-Executive Chairman

Alex Cheatle
CEO (Group) and  
Co-Founder

Andrew Long
Group COO, CEO 
(APAC) and Co-Founder

Alan Donald
CFO

Career
Alex Cheatle co-founded 
the business in 1998. Alex is 
responsible for the Group 
strategy to become the most 
trusted service in the world 
and the related focus to always 
be improving service levels. 
Prior to founding Ten, Alex was 
a marketing manager at Procter 
& Gamble. Alex has a degree 
in Philosophy, Politics and 
Economics from Oxford 
University. Alex is based 
in London. 

The Chief Executive Officer is 
responsible for the management 
of the Company’s business 
and for implementing the 
Company’s strategy.

Career
Andrew Long is responsible for 
key client and account strategy, 
legal and compliance, programme 
management, global offers and 
events, global real estate and 
capital projects, including the 
development of the operational 
and technology infrastructure.

Prior to founding Ten, he ran a UK 
market-leading event production 
and management business. 
Andrew has been based in 
Singapore with particular 
leadership responsibilities 
in APAC since 2012.

Career
Alan Donald has more than 
30 years’ experience working 
in insurance, healthcare, aviation, 
business travel and leisure sectors. 
Before joining Ten in June 2019, 
Alan was UK finance director at 
Thomas Cook for 9 months.

Previous to this, Alan was finance 
director of the Travel division of 
Saga Group plc, EMEA CFO at 
Carlson Wagonlit Travel and CFO 
at the Menzies Aviation part of the 
John Menzies Group. Alan also 
held senior finance positions at 
Willis Corroon, BUPA and Cigna 
Healthcare. Alan qualified as a 
Chartered Accountant with 
Deloitte Haskins & Sells.

Career
Bruce Weatherill joined Ten 
as Non-Executive Chairman in 
October 2017. Bruce has over 
40 years’ experience in the 
global financial services industry, 
providing a range of audit and 
consulting services to global 
financial service companies. 
Until 2008, Bruce was a partner 
at PwC in charge of a number of 
Asset Management and Wealth 
Management clients. During his 
time at PwC, Bruce was global 
leader of PwC’s Private Banking 
and Wealth Management practice. 
Since leaving PwC, Bruce set up 
Weatherill Consulting and provides 
consulting services to Wealth 
Management Companies around 
the world. Bruce was until 
30 June 2019 a Non-Executive 
Director of Fidelity Holdings (UK) 
Limited and Chairman of its 
Audit and Risk Committee. 
He is Non-Executive Director 
of ComPeer Limited and The All 
England Lawn Tennis Club and 
a Committee member. He is 
Chairman of JDX Consulting, 
ClearView Financial Media 
(WealthBriefing) and the Wisdom 
Council. He has previously served 
as Deputy Chairman of the 
Chartered Institute of Securities 
and Investments Wealth 
Management Focus Group 
and regularly chairs Wealth 
Management conferences 
around the world. 

Bruce was appointed Chairman 
in October 2017, bringing over 
40 years’ experience in the global 
financial services industry with 
relevant leadership, financial 
control and commercial expertise 
as well as proven history at 
board level.

24

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEN R

A

R

Sarah Hornbuckle
Client Services Director

Julian Pancholi
Independent  
Non-Executive Director

Gillian Davies
Independent  
Non-Executive Director

Career
Sarah Hornbuckle joined Ten in 
2001. Sarah is responsible for the 
client services strategy, leading 
the team that develops long-term 
partnerships with Ten’s corporate 
clients. Sarah has overseen the 
launch of all of the Company’s 
major corporate programmes 
in EMEA, as well as many 
programmes globally.

Prior to joining Ten, Sarah was a 
senior brand manager at Unilever 
Bestfoods and Mars Confectionery 
for several years, responsible for 
launching new product lines and 
developing ATL and BTL advertising 
and marketing campaigns.

Career
Julian (“Jules”) Pancholi joined 
Ten in October 2017. Jules is 
an experienced technology and 
marketing services entrepreneur, 
which includes serving as a 
Non-Executive Director of 
Skyscanner Limited, the travel fare 
comparison website, until its sale 
to C TRIP for over £1.4bn in 2016. 
Jules is Managing Director of 
Nitro Digital Limited, an independent 
digital agency. His other ventures 
include Nixxie Limited (a US-focused 
advertising tech business), 
Estimo Technologies Limited 
(a B2B SaaS workflow solution), 
Nitro Property Limited (a 
syndicate-based property 
portfolio business) and a 
number of other ventures in 
Fintech and Healthtech. 

Jules was appointed as  
Non-Executive Director in 
October 2017. Jules has relevant 
industrial experience in technology 
and marketing services and is a 
proven non-executive director.

Career
Gillian Davies is a Chartered 
Accountant who qualified with 
KPMG. Gillian has held a number 
of senior financial positions in 
both listed and private equity 
backed international companies, 
including Zeneca plc, Avecia 
Limited and Georgia Pacific. 
More recently, Gillian spent 
eleven years as group finance 
director of FTSE-listed 4imprint 
Group plc, during which time 
4imprint Group plc was 
extensively restructured and 
delivered significant growth. 
Gillian is currently CFO of 
AIM-listed Harwood Wealth 
Management Group.

Gillian was appointed as 
Non-Executive Director in 
October 2017. She brings 
financial expertise as a Chartered 
Accountant and has substantial 
experience as a Group Finance 
Director of a FTSE-listed company.

Board structure
Gender

Female

Male

Board composition

Non-Executive Chairman

Executive Directors

Non-Executive Directors

1

4

2

14+

The Chairman is responsible 
for leading the Board effectively 
and overseeing the adoption, 
delivery and communication 
of the Company’s corporate 
governance model. The Chairman 
makes sure that the Board’s 
agenda concentrates on the 
key issues, both operational 
and financial, with regular reviews 
of the Company’s strategy and 
its overall implementation.

Committee key

 A

 N

 R

Audit and Risk Committee 

Nomination Committee 

Remuneration Committee 

Chairperson 

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

25

Corporate Governance57
+
29
+
P
 
Statement of Corporate Governance

Board changes
During the period ended 31 August 2019, 
there have been some important changes 
to the composition of the Board which we 
believe enhance the Board’s effectiveness. 
Alan Donald joined the Board on 24 June 
2019 as Chief Financial Officer (following 
Sean Hegarty’s departure). Alan has over 
30 years’ experience in finance roles, and 
over a decade’s experience in the travel 
industry. He joined us from Thomas Cook 
Group plc where he was Finance Director 
for its UK&I tour operating business. 
Alan has also held roles at Saga Group plc 
as Finance Director of its travel division, 
and Carlson Wagonlit Travel, a business 
travel management company, where he 
was Vice President and CFO of the 
EMEA region. Alan is a key addition to 
the executive management team and 
will help support and deliver the Group’s 
strategy. You can read a Q&A with 
Alan on page 18. 

On 11 February 2019, Keziah Watt, 
Head of Legal & Compliance, was 
appointed Company Secretary 
(replacing Sean Hegarty), allowing 
more focus in this area. 

Induction and development
On joining the Board, new Directors 
receive a comprehensive formal induction, 
involving meetings with members of the 
Senior Management Team and external 
advisers. The Nomination Committee 
continues to review the skills and 
experience of the Board and Executive 
Directors to ensure that the right 
leadership is in place to enable the 
Group to deliver on its strategy.

The Directors receive regular updates 
in legal, regulatory and governance 
matters by the Company’s Nomad, the 
Company Secretary, the independent 
external auditor and other external advisers 
to ensure the Directors’ awareness and 
the Board’s governance processes are 
up to date. The Company Secretary 
attends all Board meetings and has the 
responsibility of advising the Board on 
corporate governance matters and 
assisting with the flow of information 
to and from the Board.

Board operation
The Board is responsible for formulating, reviewing and approving the Group’s strategy, 
budgets and corporate actions. The operation of the Board is documented in a formal 
schedule of matters reserved for its approval. To fulfil these duties, the Company holds 
Board meetings at least eight times each financial year and at other times as and when 
required. An annual agenda plan and business deep-dives from members of the 
Senior Leadership team ensure the Board is well informed at all times.

The Board consists of four Executive Directors, an independent Non-Executive Chairman 
and two independent Non-Executive Directors. The independent Non-Executive Chairman 
and the Non-Executive Directors are considered independent of management and free 
of any relationship that could materially interfere with the exercise of their independent 
judgement. In accordance with the provisions of the QCA Code, the Board is 
comprised of at least two independent Non-Executive Directors.

The Board has established three Committees: the Audit and Risk Committee 
(formerly the Audit Committee), the Remuneration Committee and the Nomination 
Committee, each having written terms of reference, which are available on the 
Company’s website (www.tenlifestylegroup.com/investors). Reports by the Chairs 
of the three Committees are reported separately on pages 29 and 30 for the Audit 
and Risk Committee, pages 32 to 34 for the Remuneration Committee and page 
31 for the Nomination Committee.

The Remuneration Committee is comprised of two independent Non-Executive 
Directors and the Audit and Risk Committee and Nomination Committee are 
chaired by independent Non-Executive Directors.

The Executive Directors are all employed full time by the Company, except 
Sarah Hornbuckle, who works four and a half days a week for the Company. 
The Non-Executive Directors have commitments outside the Company. These are 
summarised in the Board biographies on pages 24 and 25. All the Non-Executive 
Directors give the necessary time to thoroughly fulfil their responsibilities to the 
Company, which normally involves a time commitment of two to three days 
per month.

Board meetings 
The Board met 13 times during the period. Directors are expected to attend all meetings 
of the Board, and of the Committees on which they sit, and to devote sufficient time 
to the Group’s affairs to enable them to fulfil their duties as Directors. In the event that 
Directors are unable to attend a meeting, their comments on papers to be considered 
at the meeting will be discussed in advance with the Chairman so that their contribution 
can be included in the wider Board discussion.

The following table shows Directors’ attendance at scheduled Board and Committee 
meetings during the period:

Bruce Weatherill

Alex Cheatle

Andrew Long

Sean Hegarty

Alan Donald

Sarah Hornbuckle

Julian Pancholi

Gillian Davies

Board Audit and Risk Remuneration 

Nomination

13/13

13/13

11/13

11/11

2/2

11/13

13/13

11/13

4/4

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

4/4

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

3/3

3/3

3/3

3/3

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

3/3

N/A

26

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEAll content for visual purposes onlyThe Group continues to review its system 
of internal control to ensure adherence 
to best practice, whilst also having regard 
to its size and the resources available. 
The Board considers that the introduction 
of an internal audit function is not 
appropriate at this juncture but will 
keep this under review.

Annual General Meeting (AGM)
The Annual General Meeting 
of the Group will take place on 
5 February 2020. Full details will be 
included in the Notice of Meeting 
which will be published on our website 
(www.tenlifestylegroup.com/investors).

Relations with shareholders 
The Group maintains communication with 
analysts and institutional shareholders 
through individual meetings with the CEO 
and CFO, particularly following publication 
of the Group’s interim and annual results. 
Private shareholders are encouraged to 
attend the Annual General Meeting at 
which the Group’s activities are considered 
and questions answered. 

The Group’s strategy and general 
information about the Group are 
available on the Group’s website  
(www.tenlifestylegroup.com/investors), 
including investor videos presented by 
the CEO. The Non-Executive Directors 
are available to discuss any matter 
stakeholders might wish to raise, and the 
independent Non-Executive Chairman 
and Directors will attend meetings with 
investors and analysts as required. 

Board effectiveness
The Board has undertaken an evaluation 
of its effectiveness. Input was obtained 
from every Board member on the following 
performance evaluation indicators:

 > clear purpose and strong 

leadership by the Chairman;

 > balance of skills, experience 

and independence;

 > Directors that work as a team;
 > understanding of the business 

and its strategy;

 > information and engagement 
with shareholders and other 
stakeholders; and 

 > Board performance evaluation. 
The Chairman also met with each 
Director to discuss Board and individual 
effectiveness during the period.

It was concluded that the Board operated 
effectively and that each of the Directors’ 
respective skills complement each other 
and enhance the overall operation of the 
Board. The Board identified specific actions 
including increasing the frequency of 
invitations from the Board to members 
of the Senior Leadership Team to deep 
dive into certain areas of the business.

The Chairman will consider whether 
external advice or a third-party facilitator 
is needed to refresh the performance 
evaluation process next year.

Risk management 
and internal controls 
The Board has ultimate responsibility 
for the Group’s risk management and 
internal controls. To ensure sufficient time 
and attention is given to this function, it 
delegates the responsibility of monitoring 
the Group’s risk and control management 
system framework to the Audit and Risk 
Committee. The Board then determines 
the appropriateness of the internal controls 
upon the Committee’s recommendations.

The risk and control management system 
framework includes: 

 > close management of the day-to-day 

activities of the Group by the 
Executive Directors and the 
Senior Leadership Team; 

 > regular reviews of its risk register; 
 > a comprehensive annual budgeting 
process, which is approved by 
the Board; 

 > detailed monthly reporting of 

performance against budget; and 

 > central control over key areas such 
as capital expenditure authorisation 
and banking facilities.

The Executives and Senior Leadership 
Team are responsible for ensuring that 
the risk and control management system 
framework is implemented effectively 
within their respective business areas. 
This includes ensuring an effective risk 
culture is in place, with risk management 
embedded in the business.

Since the end of the period, the Board has 
delegated its responsibility to identify, 
assess and manage climate-related risk to 
the Audit and Risk Committee to ensure 
that more time is spent ensuring the 
Group is aware of and, as far as possible, 
mitigating climate risks and impacts.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

27

Corporate GovernanceAll content for visual purposes onlyStatement of Corporate Governance continued

The QCA Corporate Governance Code 
The Board has adopted the QCA Code. Set out below is how the Board currently complies with the key principles set out in the Code. 

Key principle

How we comply 

More information 

DELIVER GROWTH

1.  Establish a strategy and 

business model which promote 
long-term value for shareholders

The Board regularly reviews the Group’s strategy and progress 
against delivering its objectives at the Board and strategy meetings. 

2.  Seek to understand and 
meet shareholder needs 
and expectations

3.  Take into account wider 
stakeholder and social 
responsibilities and 
their implications for 
long-term success

4.  Embed effective risk 

management, considering 
both opportunities and threats, 
throughout the organisation

The Group’s CEO and CFO regularly meet with investors, analysts 
and potential investors to understand how the Group’s strategy 
and the Board’s decisions impact on and are received by investors. 
The Annual General Meeting provides an opportunity for all shareholders 
to meet the Directors and raise any questions. 

The Board considers how the Group’s strategy and the Board’s decisions 
impact on stakeholders as well as wider social and sustainability 
responsibilities, including measuring its performance annual employee 
survey, NPS results and regular business reviews. The Board believes 
that the quality of the Group’s people is key to its continued success 
and is proud of its track record of developing its business leaders.

The Board and the Audit and Risk Committee regularly review the principal 
risks to the Group’s business, including the processes for monitoring 
and mitigating each risk, as managed by the Senior Leadership Team 
and embedded throughout the relevant business functions. 

MAINTAIN A DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
5.  Maintain the Board as 

Over the last two years sitting as the Board of an AIM-listed 
Company, the Board has developed and implemented practices 
to ensure meetings function well, management is rigorously 
challenged and ideas are developed. 

Read about the Group’s 
business model and strategy 
on pages 10 to 13 and how 
key risks are managed by the 
business on pages 20 and 21.

More details on relations with 
shareholders and our next 
AGM on page 27.

An overview of Member 
Experience Culture At Ten is 
on page 8 and details of our 
next AGM are on page 27.

Read more about the Group’s 
principal risks on pages 20 and 
21 and how they are monitored 
by the Audit and Risk Committee 
on page 30. 

An overview of the make-up 
of the Board is included on 
pages 24 and 25.

a well-functioning, balanced 
team led by the Chairman 

6.  Ensure that between them the 
Directors have the necessary 
up-to-date experience, skills 
and capabilities

7.  Evaluate Board 

performance based on clear 
and relevant objectives, seeking 
continuous improvement

8.  Promote a corporate culture 

that is based on ethical values 
and behaviours

9.  Maintain governance structures 
and processes that are fit for 
purpose and support good 
decision making by the Board

BUILD TRUST
10.  Communicate how the 

Company is governed and 
is performing by maintaining 
a dialogue with shareholders 
and other relevant stakeholders

The adequacy of the Board’s collective skills and experience is assessed 
as part of the annual Board effectiveness review and by the Nomination 
Committee when considering its recommendations to the Board for 
re-appointment and succession planning. Directors’ individual 
development needs are discussed annually with the Chairman.

Read more about the Board 
effectiveness review on page 27 
and the skills and experience 
of the Directors on pages 24 
and 25.

The Chairman leads the Board in an annual evaluation of the Board’s 
effectiveness to identify areas for improvement and facilitate a plan 
of actions to address them. It requires each Director to complete 
a performance evaluation questionnaire based on the QCA’s key 
principles and meets with the Chairman. Year-on-year improvements 
are then monitored by the Board. 

The Group’s values of being member focused, pioneering and 
trustworthy underpin the business’ culture and are consistent with 
the Company’s objectives and strategy. The Board promotes ethical 
values and behaviours through the decisions it makes. The Senior 
Leadership Team meets biannually to refocus on the Group’s values 
and is held accountable for the actions of those reporting to it to 
ensure ethical values and behaviours are embedded in the business.

Details of the Board 
effectiveness review including 
the performance evaluation 
indicators used are on page 27.

Details about our 
mission and values are 
published on our website at 
www.tenlifestylegroup.com/about.

The Board reserves certain matters for its own consideration and 
delegates specialist duties to its Committees and/or members of the Senior 
Leadership Team to ensure it receives relevant, up-to-date information 
to allow it to make well-informed decisions on behalf of the business. 

The Group’s corporate 
governance structures and 
processes are summarised on 
page 26 under “Board operation”.

The Company communicates with shareholders through regular meetings 
with investors, analysts and potential investors, publishing information for 
investors on its website, including investor videos presented by the CEO. 
The Chairs of each of the Board’s Committees report on their governance 
responsibilities and activities during the year on pages 29 to 34.

The Executive Directors regularly communicate with the Group’s 
employees and provide updates on the Group’s strategy. The Group’s 
values are continually reinforced by the Senior Leadership Team, based 
across the Group’s global locations.

You can find more information 
on relations with shareholders 
and our next AGM on page 27.

Relevant information can 
also be found on our website 
at www.tenlifestylegroup.com/
investors.

28

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEAudit and Risk Committee Report

I am pleased to present the report on behalf of the Audit and Risk Committee for the period 
ended 31 August 2019. 

Gillian Davies
Chairperson of the Audit 
and Risk Committee

The primary objective of the Committee 
is to assist the Board in reviewing the 
quality of internal and external systems 
of controls and risk management and for 
ensuring that the financial performance 
of the Group is properly reported.

The Committee reviews reports on the 
interim and annual accounts, financial 
announcements, the Group’s accounting 
and financial control systems, changes 
to accounting policies, the extent of the 
non-audit services undertaken by the 
external auditor and the appointment 
of the external auditor. 

The Committee is also responsible for 
monitoring the adequacy and effectiveness 
of the Group’s risk management systems 
and advises the Board on the current risk 
exposures of the Group.

Members of the Committee 
The Committee is composed of two 
independent Non-Executive Directors: 
me, Gillian Davies (as Chairperson), 
and Bruce Weatherill. I am a Chartered 
Accountant and have held a number 
of senior financial positions in both listed 
and private equity backed international 
companies. Bruce previously served 
as a partner at PwC and global leader 
of its banking and wealth management 
practice as well as chairing the Audit and 
Risk Committee of Fidelity Holdings (UK) 
until June 2019. It is the Board’s view 
that we both have significant recent 
and relevant financial experience.

Alex Cheatle, Group CEO, and Alan Donald, 
CFO, together with other members of the 
finance team may attend Committee 
meetings by invitation. Prior to Alan’s 
appointment in June 2019, Sean Hegarty, 
CFO, attended meetings by invitation. 
The Committee met four times during 
the period. 

Business of the Committee 
The main duties of the Committee are 
set out in its terms of reference, which 
are available on the Company’s website 
(www.tenlifestylegroup.com/investors). 
The main items of business considered by 
the Committee during the period included:

 > the review and approval of the 2019 

audit plan and audit engagement letter;

 > consideration of key audit matters 
and how they are addressed; 

 > the review of suitability of the 

external auditor; 

 > the review of the unaudited interim 
report and annual report (including 
the audited financial statements); 

 > consideration of the management 

representation letter; 

 > a going concern review;
 > consideration of the principal 

judgemental accounting matters 
for the Group based on reports 
from executive management;

 > the review of the risk management 
and internal control framework; 

 > the review of whistleblowing and 
anti-bribery arrangements; and

 > meeting with the external auditor 
without management present.

Financial reporting
The Committee reviews whether suitable 
accounting policies have been adopted 
and whether management has made 
appropriate judgements and estimates. 
The Committee reviews accounting papers 
prepared by management providing details 
on the main financial reporting judgements 
as well as assessments of the impact 
of potential new accounting standards. 
The Committee also reviews reports 
provided by the external auditor on 
the annual results which highlight any 
observations from the work they 
have undertaken.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

29

Corporate GovernanceAll content for visual purposes onlyAudit and Risk Committee Report continued

External auditor
The Committee is responsible for 
reviewing the suitability of the external 
auditor, BDO, to ensure that auditor 
independence and objectivity are 
maintained. The Committee met with 
the external auditor without management 
present during the period. BDO was 
appointed auditor of the Group in 2017 
and the Committee continues to be 
satisfied with its effectiveness. 

The Committee is responsible for 
ensuring there is a suitable policy for 
ensuring that non-audit work undertaken 
by the auditor is reviewed to ensure it will 
not impact its independence and objectivity. 
The breakdown of fees between audit and 
non-audit services is provided in note 6 
to the Group’s financial statements. 
The non-audit fees for 2019 primarily 
relate to Group taxation compliance.

Taking into account the auditor’s 
knowledge of the Group and its 
experience, the Committee has 
recommended to the Board that the 
auditor is re-appointed for the period 
ending 31 August 2020.

Whistleblowing
The Group has a whistleblowing 
policy which sets out the process by 
which any employee of the Group may, 
in confidence, report concerns about 
possible wrongdoings in financial reporting 
or other matters. The Committee is 
comfortable that the current policy 
is operating effectively.

Anti-bribery
The Group has an anti-bribery policy 
which applies to employees of the Group. 
It sets out the Group’s zero-tolerance 
position on bribery and corruption as well 
as providing guidance on how to recognise 
and deal with bribery and corruption 
issues and the potential consequences. 
The Committee is satisfied that the 
current policy is operating effectively.

Gillian Davies
Chairperson of the  
Audit and Risk Committee
25 November 2019

Financial reporting continued
The Group has applied IFRS 15 
“Revenue from Contracts with Customers” 
and IFRS 9 “Financial Instruments”. 
IFRS 15 has been applied from the earliest 
period presented (from 1 September 2017). 
IFRS 9 was adopted during the year. 
The Committee has reviewed the 
assessments of the treatment, impact 
and adoption of standards and which 
resulted in a material financial impact on 
the Group’s results for the year ended 
31 August 2019 under IFRS 9 (only) with 
no impact on previous periods.

Risk management 
and internal controls
As detailed on page 27 of the Corporate 
Governance Statement, the Group’s 
risk management and internal control 
framework is monitored by the Committee. 
The framework is designed to manage 
the Group’s risk appetite rather than 
eliminate the risk of failure to meet the 
Group’s strategic objectives. The system 
can only provide reasonable and not 
absolute assurance against material 
misstatement or loss. During the period, 
the Committee has reviewed the framework 
and the Committee is satisfied that the 
internal control systems in place are 
currently operating effectively. The principal 
risks facing the Group are set out in the 
section of this report on risk on pages 
20 and 21.

30

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEAll content for visual purposes onlyNomination Committee Report

I am pleased to present the report on behalf of the Nomination Committee for the period 
ended 31 August 2019. 

The primary role of the Committee 
is to ensure that robust procedures 
are in place for Board appointments 
and to ensure that the Board and 
its Committees have an appropriate 
balance of skills, experience, availability, 
independence and knowledge of the 
Company required for the next stage 
in the Company’s development. The 
Committee also makes recommendations 
to the Board about new appointments, 
re-electing Directors, succession planning 
and Board composition, particularly with 
regard to the benefits of diversity on 
the Board.

Members of the Committee 
The Committee is composed of two 
independent Non-Executives: me 
Bruce Weatherill (as Chairman, unless 
the business under discussion includes 
the succession of this position), and 
Jules Pancholi, as well as an Executive: 
Alex Cheatle, Group CEO. The Committee 
met three times during the period. The main 
duties of the Committee are set out in its 
terms of reference, which are available 
on the Company’s website  
(www.tenlifestylegroup.com/investors).

Appointments to the Board 
The Committee considered the search 
process for a Chief Financial Officer to 
replace Sean Hegarty, who stepped 
down from the position during the period, 

including the final appointment to 
the Board of Alan Donald in June 2019, 
as further described on page 26 of the 
Corporate Governance Statement. 
In addition, the Committee considered 
the appointment of Keziah Watt as 
Company Secretary. Both appointments 
were designed to strengthen the 
effectiveness of the Board.

Other business of the Committee 
The Committee also met during the 
period to consider succession planning 
for the Board, its Committees and other 
senior managers, taking into account the 
challenges and opportunities facing the 
Group, and the skills and expertise needed 
on the Board in the future. The Committee 
also reflected on the diversity of the Board 
and senior managers, recognised the 
progress the Group had made with regard 
to gender diversity and considered how it 
could achieve further inclusion. Taking into 
account the Listing in November 2017 
and full consideration at that time, no 
further changes are recommended at 
this time.

Bruce Weatherill
Chairman of the Nomination Committee 
25 November 2019

Bruce Weatherill
Chairman of the  
Nomination Committee

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

31

Corporate GovernanceRemuneration Committee Report

I am pleased to present this Remuneration Committee Report for the period ended 31 August 2019.

Duties 
The Committee’s main duties 
and responsibilities are to:

 > have responsibility for setting the 

remuneration policy for all Executives 
and such other members of the 
executive management as it is 
designated to consider;

 > recommend and monitor the level 
and structure of remuneration for 
senior management;

 > obtain reliable, up-to-date information 
about remuneration in other companies 
of comparable scale and complexity 
in light of reviewing the ongoing 
appropriateness and relevance 
of the remuneration policy; 

 > review the design of all share incentive 

plans for approval by the Board; 

 > approve the design of, and determine 
targets for, any performance-related 
pay schemes operated by the Company 
and approve the total annual payments 
made under such schemes; and 

 > ensure that contractual terms on 

termination, and any payments made, are 
fair to the individual, and the Company, 
that failure is not rewarded and that the 
duty to mitigate loss is fully recognised.

Remuneration policy
The Committee aims to support 
the creation of long-term value for 
shareholders by attracting, motivating 
and retaining high-quality individuals 
who will contribute to the achievement 
of the Group’s strategy. The policy and 
principles support the needs of our 
business over the next few years and 
the Group’s strategy for growth to create 
long-term value for our shareholders.

It is the Committee’s intention that 
remuneration should reward achievement 
of objectives and that these are aligned 
with shareholders’ interests over the 
medium term. Remuneration consists 
of the following elements: 

 > salaries;
 > long-term incentive awards; and
 > pension-related benefits.

Salaries and pension related-benefits 
provide an appropriate level of fixed 
remuneration to attract and retain 
individuals with the qualities, skills 
and experience required to deliver the 
Group’s strategic objectives and create 
value for our shareholders, whereas 
long-term incentive awards reward and 
retain executives while aligning their 
interests with those of shareholders 
by incentivising performance over the 
longer term.

The majority of long-term incentive 
awards made to Executives vest on the 
achievement of performance conditions 
based on total shareholder return and, 
for some participants, operational targets, 
as detailed on page 33. Clawback 
provisions are available at the discretion 
of the Committee.

Executives
The Executives signed new service 
contracts with the Group on Admission 
to AIM in November 2017. Alan Donald 
signed a service contract on his 
appointment. The service contracts are 
not of fixed duration. All the Executives’ 
contracts are terminable by either party 
giving six months’ written notice. 

Non-Executives
Letters of appointment signed by 
the Non-Executives prior to the IPO for 
the provision of the Non-Executives’ 
services to the Group expire on 
22 November 2019. Since the end 
of the period, the Board approved the 
re-appointment of the Non-Executives 
until the date of the AGM following the 
period ending 31 August 2020 (expected 
to take place in February 2021), following 
the recommendations of the Nomination 
Committee. The Non-Executives have 
signed new letters of appointment with the 
Group for the provision of non-executive 
services from 22 November 2019, 
which may be terminated by either 
party giving three months’ written 
notice. The Non-Executives’ fees 
are determined by the Board.

Julian Pancholi
Chairman of the 
Remuneration Committee

The Committee’s objective is to align 
the Group’s remuneration policy with 
the Group’s strategy, risk appetite and 
values and the long-term interests of all 
of its stakeholders. The Committee uses 
the remuneration policy to formulate 
recommendations to the Board on the 
individual remuneration packages of 
Executives and new appointments to 
the Board or Senior Leadership Team.

Members of the Committee 
The Committee is composed of two 
independent Non-Executives: me, 
Jules Pancholi (as Chairman), and 
Gillian Davies. Alex Cheatle, Group 
CEO, together with other Directors 
and advisers may attend Committee 
meetings by invitation. The Committee 
met three times during the period. The 
Committee operates under the Group’s 
agreed terms of reference which are 
available on the Company’s website 
(www.tenlifestylegroup.com/investors). 

32

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEDirectors’ remuneration
The following table summarises the total gross remuneration for the qualifying services of the Directors who served during the 
year to 31 August 2019.

Executive
Alex Cheatle

Andrew Long

Sean Hegarty2

Alan Donald3

Sarah Hornbuckle

Malcolm Berry4

Benjamin Horner6

Non-Executive
Bruce Weatherill7

Julian Pancholi8

Gillian Davies9

2019

2018

Basic
salary/fee
£

Pension
£

Gain on
options
£

Total
£

Basic
salary/fee
£

Pension
£

Gain on 
options
exercised
 at IPO
£

Total
£

280,000
295,3001

6,767

—

144,756

3,526

36,064

85,000

—

2,075

—

—

50,000

36,000

36,000

—

—

—

—

—

— 286,767

— 295,300

— 148,282

— 36,064

255,000

277,279

135,000

3,717 3,230,200 3,488,917

— 1,879,660 2,156,939

1,933

508,585

645,518

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

87,075

 76,000

 1,093 

 998,320   1,075,413 

—

—

10,0715

718

621,209

631,998

—

— 130,500

130,500

— 50,000

— 36,000

— 36,000

45,833

39,600

31,523

—

—

—

— 45,833

— 39,600

—

31,523

963,120

12,368

— 975,488

 870,306 

 7,461   7,368,474   8,246,241

1  Converted from Singapore Dollars.

2  Resigned as Director on 24 June 2019.

3  Appointed as Director on 24 June 2019.

4  Resigned as Director on 25 September 2017.

5  Converted from US Dollars.

6  Resigned as Director on 29 November 2017.

7  Appointed as Director on 1 October 2017.

8  Appointed as Director on 1 October 2017.

9  Appointed as Director on 25 October 2017.

Long-term incentive awards
Annual awards to Executives under the Management Incentive Plan (MIP), adopted by the Company on 9 November 2017, 
are underpinned by financial performance measures. 

The MIP share awards will vest on the achievement of performance conditions based on total shareholder return and, for some 
participants, operational targets. For Alex Cheatle, Sean Hegarty and Sarah Hornbuckle, this performance condition is wholly 
linked to the compound annual growth rate, vesting after three years. Andrew Long’s performance conditions are linked to the 
compound annual growth rate as well as to Net Revenue growth in APAC and profit making in that region. The Committee believes 
the aforementioned performance metrics are aligned with achieving KPI growth and driving the Company’s strategy forward.

In addition to the annual award under the MIP, the Committee during the period granted the Executives share options under 
the Company Share Option Plan (CSOP), adopted by the Company on 24 August 2017. These share options are exercisable 
after three years from the date of grant. 

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

33

Corporate Governance 
 
 
 
Remuneration Committee Report continued

Long-term incentive awards continued
The Non-Executives are not awarded share options. 

Alex Cheatle

Andrew Long

Sean Hegarty

Alan Donald

Sarah Hornbuckle

Share option
scheme

Date of grant

Number of
ordinary shares
under option

Exercise price

Vesting period

MIP

MIP

07/12/2017

24/06/2019

CSOP

24/06/2019

MIP

MIP

07/12/2017

24/06/2019

CSOP

24/06/2019

400,000

200,000

33,708

200,000

100,000

33,708

£0.001

07/12/2017–07/12/2020

£0.001

24/06/2019–07/12/2021

£0.89 24/06/2019–24/06/2022

£0.001

07/12/2017–07/12/2020

£0.001

24/06/2019–07/12/2021

£0.89 24/06/2019–24/06/2022

MIP

07/12/2017

120,000

£0.001

07/12/2017–07/12/2020

CSOP

24/06/2019

33,708

£0.89 24/06/2019–24/06/2022

MIP

MIP

07/12/2017

24/06/2019

CSOP

24/06/2019

60,000

30,000

33,708

£0.001

07/12/2017–07/12/2020

£0.001

24/06/2019–07/12/2021

£0.89 24/06/2019–24/06/2022

Fees paid for remuneration-related services
The Company paid nil in fees for remuneration-related services during the period.

Directors’ interests 
Directors who served during the year to 31 August 2019 had interests in the shares of the Company as shown below:

Ordinary shares of 0.01p

Executive
Alex Cheatle

Andrew Long

Sean Hegarty

Alan Donald 

Sarah Hornbuckle

Non-Executive
Bruce Weatherill

Julian Pancholi 

Gillian Davies 

31 August 
2019

% 
shareholding

31 August 
2018

% 
shareholding

11,741,684

4,862,249

263,059

50,000

797,483

800,000

336,664

40,000

14.56% 11,676,008
6.03% 4,796,573
233,059

0.33%

—

14.48%

5.95%

0.29%

—

0.06%

0.99%

0.99%

0.42%

0.05%

757,483

0.94%

646,523

316,664

20,000

0.80%

0.39%

0.02%

If you have any comments or questions on anything contained within this Remuneration Report, I will be available at the AGM.

Julian Pancholi
Chairman of the Remuneration Committee
25 November 2019

34

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report

The Directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2019. 
An indication of likely future developments in the business is set out in the Strategic Report.

Directors
The Directors who held office during the 
year and up to the date of signature of 
the financial statements were as follows:

Alex Cheatle

Sarah Hornbuckle

Andrew Long

Alan Donald (appointed 24 June 2019)

Bruce Weatherill 

Julian Pancholi 

Gillian Davies 

Sean Hegarty (resigned 24 June 2019)

Financial risk management 
objectives and policies
Further detailed commentary on financial 
risk management is included in note 28.

Liquidity risk
The Group seeks to manage financial risk 
by ensuring sufficient liquidity is available to 
meet foreseeable needs and to invest cash 
assets safely and profitably. Short-term 
flexibility is achieved by holding significant 
cash balances in major currencies, notably 
UK Sterling and the US Dollar. 

Credit risk
The principal credit risk for the Group 
arises from its trade receivables. In order 
to manage credit risk, customers can be 
required to pay in advance of services 
being provided and credit controllers 
regularly review credit limits in conjunction 
with debt ageing and collection history. 

As at 31 August 2019, a provision of 
£0.5m was recognised against balances 
with reasonable credit risk.

Political donations
The Group did not make any political 
donations during the year.

Post-reporting date events
On 31 October 2019, the Company 
announced the signing of an Extra Large 
contract in the Americas region. Ten will 
take over from the client’s incumbent 
supplier to provide its digital and high-touch 
concierge services early in the new 
calendar year. The Board considers that 
no further material post-reporting events 
occurred between the end of the period 
and the date of publication of this report.

Foreign exchange risk
The Group has significant operations 
in both the UK and overseas. Profits are 
exposed to variations in exchange rates 
and therefore reported profits. There is 
some natural hedging of transactional 
foreign exchange risk; however, the 
Group remains subject to translation 
exchange risk.

Overseas branches
The Group has three branches outside 
the United Kingdom located in Dubai, 
Colombia and Argentina.

Research and development
The Group continues to dedicate 
resources to further develop the bespoke 
TenMAID platform and the customer-facing 
digital platform offering to its partners. 
Expenses incurred are capitalised when 
it is probable that future economic benefits 
will be attributable to the asset and that 
these costs can be measured reliably 
(see note 12).

Substantial shareholders
As at 31 August 2019, the shareholders listed below had notified the Company of a 
disclosable interest of 3% or more in the nominal value of the ordinary share capital 
of the Group.

Alex Cheatle

Soros Fund Management

Lombard Odier Investment Managers

Andrew Long

Luke Ding

Ben Horner

Baillie Gifford

Quinto Corporation

Number of
ordinary shares

Percentage of
ordinary shares
%

11,741,684

6,466,006

6,174,325

4,862,249

4,181,846

4,034,000

3,811,899

2,829,161

14.56

8.02

7.66

6.03

5.19

5.00

4.73

3.51

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

35

Corporate GovernanceAll content for visual purposes only > he or she has taken all the steps 

that he or she ought to have taken 
as a Director in order to make himself 
or herself aware of any relevant audit 
information and to establish that the 
Company’s auditor is aware of that 
information. This confirmation is given 
in accordance with Section 418(2) 
of the Act.

Auditor
BDO LLP was appointed as auditor to 
the Company and, in accordance with 
Section 485 of the Companies Act 2006, 
a resolution proposing that they 
be re-appointed will be tabled at 
a general meeting.

Approval
This Directors’ Report was approved on 
behalf of the Board on 25 November 2019.

Alan Donald 
Chief Financial Officer
25 November 2019

Directors’ Report continued

Purchase of own shares
The Company purchased £0.1m of own 
shares in the financial year, held in the 
Employee Benefit Trust (EBT).

Corporate governance
The Company has adopted the 
QCA Corporate Governance Code for 
Small and Mid-Size Quoted Companies 
(“QCA guidelines”) as set out on page 28.

 > state whether they have been 

prepared in accordance with IFRSs 
as adopted by the European Union, 
subject to any material departures 
disclosed and explained in the 
financial statements; and

 > prepare the financial statements on 
the going concern basis unless it is 
inappropriate to presume that the 
Company will continue in business.

Dividends
No ordinary dividends were paid (2018: £nil). 
The Directors do not recommend payment 
of a final dividend.

Share option schemes
Details of employee share schemes 
are set out in note 25 to the 
financial statements.

Directors’ responsibilities
The Directors are responsible for 
preparing the annual report and the 
financial statements in accordance 
with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the Directors 
to prepare financial statements for 
each financial year. Under that law the 
Directors have elected to prepare the 
Group and Company financial statements 
in accordance with International Financial 
Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted 
by the European Union. Under company 
law the Directors must not approve the 
financial statements unless they are 
satisfied that they give a true and fair 
view of the state of affairs of the Group 
and Company and of the profit or loss 
of the Group for that period. The Directors 
are also required to prepare financial 
statements in accordance with the rules 
of the London Stock Exchange for 
companies trading securities on AIM. 
In preparing these financial statements, 
the Directors are required to:

 > select suitable accounting policies 
and then apply them consistently;

 > make judgements and accounting 
estimates that are reasonable 
and prudent;

The Directors are responsible for 
keeping adequate accounting records 
that are sufficient to show and explain 
the Company’s transactions and disclose 
with reasonable accuracy at any time the 
financial position of the Company and 
enable them to ensure that the financial 
statements comply with the requirements 
of the Companies Act 2006. They are also 
responsible for safeguarding the assets 
of the Company and hence for taking 
reasonable steps for the prevention and 
detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Website publication
The Directors are responsible for 
ensuring the annual report and the 
financial statements are made available 
on a website. Financial statements are 
published on the Company’s website 
in accordance with legislation in the 
United Kingdom governing the preparation 
and dissemination of financial statements, 
which may vary from legislation in other 
jurisdictions. The maintenance and 
integrity of the Company’s website 
are the responsibility of the Directors. 
The Directors’ responsibility also extends 
to the ongoing integrity of the financial 
statements contained therein.

Disclosure of information 
to the auditor
Each of the Directors of the Company at 
the time when this report was approved 
confirms that:

 > so far as the Director is aware, there is 
no relevant audit information of which 
the Company’s auditor is unaware; and

36

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEAll content for visual purposes onlyFINANCIAL 
STATEMENTS

Financial Statements
Independent Auditor’s Report 

Consolidated Statement  
of Comprehensive Income 

Consolidated Statement 
of Financial Position 

Company Statement  
of Financial Position 

Consolidated Statement 
of Changes in Equity 

Company Statement  
of Changes in Equity 

Consolidated Statement 
of Cash Flows 

Company Statement 
of Cash Flows 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

Corporate Information 

47

48

49

50

IBC

38

43

44

45

46

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

37

Financial StatementsIndependent Auditor’s Report 
to the members of Ten Lifestyle Group Plc

Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Ten Lifestyle Group 
Plc (the ‘Parent Company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘Group’) for 
the year ended 31 August 2019 which comprise the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income, the consolidated statement 
of financial position, the company statement of financial position, 
the consolidated statement of changes in equity, the company 
statement of changes in equity, the consolidated statement of 
cash flows, the company statement of cash flows and notes 
to the financial statements, including a summary of significant 
accounting policies. 

The financial reporting framework that has been applied in the 
preparation of the financial statements is applicable law and 
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted 
by the European Union and, as regards the Parent Company 
financial statements, as applied in accordance with the provisions 
of the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion:

 > the financial statements give a true and fair view of the 

state of the Group’s and of the Parent Company’s affairs 
as at 31 August 2019 and of the Group’s loss for the year 
then ended;

 > the Group financial statements have been properly prepared 
in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union;

 > the Parent Company financial statements have been 

properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted 
by the European Union and as applied in accordance 
with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006; and

 > the financial statements have been prepared in accordance 

with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International 
Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. 
Our responsibilities under those standards are further described 
in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial 
statements section of our report. We are independent of the 
Group and the Parent Company in accordance with the ethical 
requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial 
statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard as 
applied to listed entities, and we have fulfilled our other ethical 
responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We 
believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient 
and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in 
relation to which the ISAs (UK) require us to report to you where:

 > the Directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting 

in the preparation of the financial statements is not 
appropriate; or

 > the Directors have not disclosed in the financial statements 
any identified material uncertainties that may cast significant 
doubt about the Group’s or the Parent Company’s ability to 
continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting for 
a period of at least twelve months from the date when the 
financial statements are authorised for issue.

Key audit matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the financial 
statements of the current period and include the most significant assessed risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to 
fraud) we identified, including those which had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy, the allocation of resources in the 
audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement team. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial 
statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.

Revenue Recognition under IFRS 15: Revenue from Contracts with Customers

Key audit matter

The Group has adopted the new revenue accounting standard, IFRS 15, from 1 September 2018. This standard 
brings a new and detailed approach to accounting for revenue, with a more prescriptive framework and 
introduced the concept of ‘highly probable’ in assessing outcomes and performance obligations along 
with the five-step model framework in respect of revenue recognition. As such, significant emphasis has 
been placed on this transition throughout the audit, resulting in the recognition of this key audit matter.

The Group has a number of revenue streams, see note 1.5. Details of the accounting policies applied 
during the period are given in note 2 to the financial statements. The adoption of the accounting policy 
did not result in a material change to revenue recognition.

We considered there to be a significant audit risk arising from inappropriate or incorrect recognition of revenue 
furthermore the incorrect presentation of revenue taking account of agent vs principle criterion. The risk of 
material misstatement in relation to revenue recognition concerns the recognition around the year-end and 
services required to be delivered throughout the year, in relation to all the Group’s different types of revenue 
and that the Group’s revenue recognition accounting policies, are in line with the applicable International 
Financial Reporting Standards, as adopted by the European Union (IFRSs).

38

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTSKey audit matters continued

Revenue Recognition under IFRS 15: Revenue from Contracts with Customers continued

How the key audit 
matter was addressed 
in our audit

We assessed whether the revenue recognition policies adopted by the Group comply with IFRS 15 
and industry standard practices. by performing the following procedures:

We reviewed the adopted IFRS 15 policies, and checked that these were being adhered to throughout the year.

In relation to Direct concierge service revenue and Digital platform revenue, we reviewed a sample of contracts 
to assess whether the revenue had been recognised in accordance with the Group’s accounting policy, 
whether it was recognised appropriately from a timing perspective (in time or over time) and whether any 
other terms within the contract had any material accounting or disclosure implications.

In relation to Indirect concierge service revenue, we tested a sample of revenue transactions recognised in the 
general ledger to source documentation including sales invoices, sales orders and cash receipts. In making 
our assessment of compliance with the Group’s accounting policy, we also checked that revenues were only 
recognised at the time of the date of travel, stay or the date the experience event occurred. Furthermore 
consideration was made as to whether the Group was the principal or agent in the transaction. 

In making our assessment of compliance with the Group’s accounting policy, we tested whether revenues 
recognised were in line with our expectations based on source documentation including customer contracts, 
sales invoices issued and payment terms during the year.

We also checked the completeness, existence and accuracy of accrued income and deferred revenue balances 
shown in the statement of financial position at year end to ensure no material misstatements were identified. 
We checked a sample of revenue transactions occurring either side of the year-end reporting date across 
all revenue streams and checked that the revenues recognised for the year under audit and accrued income 
and deferred revenues recognised at the year-end reporting date did not include any material misstatements.

Key observations
We noted no material exceptions through performing these procedures.

Capitalisation of Development Costs

Key audit matter

The Group capitalises costs in relation to development of the software it provides to its clients, being the 
Ten Maid platform. Such costs must satisfy certain criteria as set out in the Group’s accounting policy in 
note 1.6 and in IAS 38 intangible assets. In determining which costs to capitalise management make certain 
estimates in relation to the allocations of contractor costs and payroll costs between those which should 
be capitalised and those which should be expensed through profit and loss. 

Capitalised costs are amortised over the period within which the Group expects to derive benefits from 
the product developed.

There is a significant risk that:

(a) the required criteria are not met and therefore development costs are incorrectly capitalised; 

(b) management’s estimates in relation to the costs capitalised may be materially misstated; and 

(c)  capitalised costs are not amortised over the period within which the Group expects to benefit 

from selling the product developed.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

39

Financial StatementsIndependent Auditor’s Report 
to the members of Ten Lifestyle Group Plc continued

Key audit matters continued

Capitalisation of Development Costs continued

How the key audit 
matter was addressed 
in our audit

We assessed whether the Group’s accounting policy is in accordance with the requirements of IFRSs, 
specifically IAS 38, and performed testing to confirm that consistent application has been adhered to 
throughout the year.

In relation to a number of projects on the Ten Maid platform during the year, we:

 > checked the accuracy of the contractor and payroll data included in the calculations for capitalised costs 

to supporting documentation including employment contracts and agreements with contractors;

 > considered the proportion of time allocations for employees and contractor roles and made enquiries of 

management in relation to changes to percentage rates which were outside of expectations, corroborating 
management’s explanations to supporting evidence; 

 > reviewed the reasonableness of the estimated proportion of time allocations for a sample of employees 
and contractors by making enquiries of individual employees and contractors and critically reviewing 
written responses to questionnaires which they completed in relation to their roles, duties and tasks 
performed in relation to developing the platform asset;

 > revisited management’s estimate of the amortisation period applied to the asset, establishing whether 
any indicators of impairment exist taking account of any changes in usability of amounts previously 
capitalised; and

 > assessed the ability of the asset to generate future economic benefits for the business which at least 
exceed its carrying value by assessing the use of the Ten Maid platform in the performance of obligations 
to customers.

Key observations
Based on the procedures performed, we noted no instances of material misstatements in the year.

Our application of materiality
We apply the concept of materiality both in planning and 
performing our audit, and in evaluating the effect of misstatements. 
At the planning stage we set an overall level of materiality for the 
financial statements as a whole based on our understanding of the 
elements of the financial statements that are likely to be of 
greatest significance to users. In order to reduce to an appropriately 
low level the probability that any misstatements exceed materiality, 
we use a lower materiality level, performance materiality, to 
determine the extent of testing needed. lmportantly, misstatements 
below these levels will not necessarily be evaluated as immaterial 
as we also take account of the nature of identified misstatements, 
and the particular circumstances of their occurrence, when 
evaluating their effect on the financial statements as a whole.

Materiality
Materiality for the Group financial statements as a whole was set 
at £469,000 (2018: £400,000), which represents approximately 
1% (2018: 1%) of Group revenue. Revenue provides a consistent 
year on year basis for determining materiality and has been 
concluded as the most relevant performance measure to the 
stakeholders of the Group, while also providing a more stable 
measure year on year when compared to the Group loss before 
tax. Parent Company materiality has been set at £422,100 
(2018: £300,000) reflecting 2% (2018: 2%) of net assets of the 
entity, capped at 90% of Group materiality, which is considered 
a suitable benchmark for a non-trading holding Parent Company.

Materiality levels used for the three key components identified, 
Ten Lifestyle Management Limited, Ten Lifestyle Management 
USA Inc. and Ten Lifestyle Management Switzerland GmbH within 
the Group ranged from £323,000 to £78,000 (2018: £79,374 
to £305,000)

40

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTSOur application of materiality continued
Performance Materiality
Based upon our assessment of the risks within the Group 
and the Group’s control environment, performance materiality 
for the financial statements was set at £351,750 (2018: £300,000), 
being 75% (2018: 75%) of overall financial statement materiality.

Performance materiality levels used for the three key components 
identified, Ten Lifestyle Management Limited, Ten Lifestyle 
Management USA Inc. and Ten Lifestyle Management Switzerland 
GmbH within the Group ranged from £242,250 to £58,500 
(2018: £59,530 to £228,750).

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our 
responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, 
consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent 
with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the 
audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify 
such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, 
we are required to determine whether there is a material 
misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement 
of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, 
we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other 
information, we are required to report that fact. We have 
nothing to report in this regard.

Reporting Threshold
We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report 
to them all uncorrected audit differences in excess of £23,450 
(2018: £20,000), which is set at 5% (2018: 5%) of planning 
materiality, as well as differences below that threshold that, 
in our view, warranted reporting on qualitative grounds.

We evaluate any uncorrected misstatements against both the 
quantitative measures of materiality discussed above and in light 
of other relevant qualitative considerations in forming our opinion.

An overview of the scope of our audit
Our Group audit was scoped by obtaining an understanding of 
the Group and its environment, including the Group’s system of 
internal control, and assessing the risks of material misstatement 
in the financial statements at the Group level.

We obtained an understanding of the internal control environment 
related to the financial reporting process and assessed the 
appropriateness, completeness and accuracy of Group journals 
and other adjustments performed on consolidation.

Three principal trading subsidiaries, noted above, were 
identified as significant components and were subject to full 
scope audit for Group reporting purposes by the Group audit 
team. These components accounted for 93% (2018: 95%) of 
the Group’s revenue and 94% (2018: 73%) of the Group’s loss 
before tax. Financial information for the remaining components 
not identified as significant was reviewed for Group reporting 
purposes, using analytic procedures.

Other information
The Directors are responsible for the other information. The other 
information comprises the information included in the Annual 
Report and Accounts, other than the financial statements 
and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial 
statements does not cover the other information and, except 
to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do 
not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

Opinions on other matters prescribed 
by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course 
of the audit:

 > the information given in the strategic report and the Directors’ 
report for the financial year for which the financial statements 
are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

 > the strategic report and the Directors’ report have been 

prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required 
to report by exception
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the Group 
and the Parent Company and its environment obtained in the 
course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements 
in the strategic report or the Directors’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in 
relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report 
to you if, in our opinion:

 > adequate accounting records have not been kept by the 
Parent Company, or returns adequate for our audit have 
not been received from branches not visited by us; or

 > the Parent Company financial statements are not in 

agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

 > certain disclosures of Directors’ remuneration specified 

by law are not made; or 

 > we have not received all the information and explanations 

we require for our audit.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

41

Financial StatementsIndependent Auditor’s Report 
to the members of Ten Lifestyle Group Plc continued

Use of our report
This report is made solely to the Parent Company’s members, 
as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the 
Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken 
so that we might state to the Parent Company’s members those 
matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report 
and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, 
we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than 
the Parent Company and the Parent Company’s members as a 
body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we 
have formed.

Iain Henderson
(Senior Statutory Auditor)
For and on behalf of BDO LLP, Statutory Auditor
London
25 November 2019

BDO LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England 
and Wales (with registered number OC305127).

Responsibilities of Directors
As explained more fully in the Directors’ responsibilities 
statement set out on page 36, the Directors are responsible 
for the preparation of the financial statements and for being 
satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal 
control as the Directors determine is necessary to enable the 
preparation of financial statements that are free from material 
misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Directors are responsible 
for assessing the Group’s and the Parent Company’s ability to 
continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters 
related to going concern and using the going concern basis 
of accounting unless the Directors either intend to liquidate the 
Group or the Parent Company or to cease operations, or have 
no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit 
of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about 
whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material 
misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an 
auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance 
is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit 
conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a 
material misstatement when it exists.

Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered 
material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably 
be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken 
on the basis of these financial statements.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of 
the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting 
Council’s website: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. 
This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

42

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTSConsolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income 
for the year ended 31 August 2019

Revenue
Cost of sales on principal transactions

Net Revenue
Other cost of sales

Gross profit
Expected credit loss provision expense

Other administrative expenses

Administrative expenses

Other income

Operating loss before amortisation, interest, share-based payments and taxation 
(“Adjusted EBITA”)

Amortisation

Share-based payment expense

Exceptional items

Operating loss
Finance income

Finance expense

Loss before taxation
Taxation expense

Loss for the year

Other comprehensive income/(expense):
Foreign currency translation differences 

Total comprehensive loss for the year

Basic and diluted loss per ordinary share

Notes

4

4

12

25

4

9

9

10

11

2019 
£’000

49,080

(3,248)

45,832

(1,327)

44,505

(514)

(51,975)

(52,489)

157

(4,315)

(3,011)

(501)

—

(7,827)

554

(15)

(7,288)

(973)

(8,261)

153

(8,108)

(10.3)p

2018 
£’000

40,122

(2,746)

37,376

(762)

36,614

—

(44,769)

(44,769)

150

(3,882)

(2,758)

(947)

(418)

(8,005)

18

(511)

(8,498)

386

(8,112)

(110)

(8,222)

(11.1)p

The consolidated statement of comprehensive income has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

43

Financial StatementsConsolidated Statement of Financial Position 
as at 31 August 2019

Company No: 08259177

Notes

2019
£’000

Non-current assets
Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Total non-current assets

Current assets
Inventories

Trade and other receivables

Cash and cash equivalents

Total current assets

Total assets

Current liabilities
Trade and other payables

Obligations under finance leases

Overseas tax liabilities

Total current liabilities

Net current assets

Non-current liabilities
Obligations under finance leases

Total non-current liabilities

Total liabilities

Net assets

Equity
Called up share capital

Share premium account

Merger relief reserve

Treasury reserve

Foreign exchange reserve

Retained deficit

Total equity

12

13

16

18

19

22

20

22

24 

2018
£’000

7,715

1,702

9,417

88

9,014

20,659

29,761

39,178

9,009

1,843

10,852

56

11,069

12,341

23,466

34,318

(12,745)

(10,027)

(30)

(596)

(13,371)

10,095

(2)

(2)

(13,373)

20,945

81

28,480

1,993

(30)

(345)

(9,234)

20,945

(64)

(396)

(10,487)

19,274

(32)

(32)

(10,519)

28,659

81

28,480

1,993

77

(498)

(1,474)

28,659

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 25 November 2019 and are signed 
on its behalf by:

Alex Cheatle 
Director  

Alan Donald
Director

44

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Company Statement of Financial Position 
as at 31 August 2019

Company No: 08259177

Non-current assets
Investments

Trade and other receivables 

Total non-current assets

Current assets
Trade and other receivables 

Cash and cash equivalents

Total current assets

Total assets

Current liabilities
Trade and other payables

Amounts due to Group undertakings

Total current liabilities

Net current assets

Net assets

Equity
Called up share capital

Share premium account

Retained earnings

Total equity

Notes

2019 
£’000

2018 
£’000

14

16

16

19

24

45,181

—

45,181

—

81

81

45,262

(88)

(25)

(113)

(32)

45,149

81

28,480

16,588

45,149

5,276

25,408

30,684

52

11,491

11,543

42,227

(118)

—

(118)

11,425

42,109

81

28,480

13,548

42,109

The Company has elected to take the exemption under Section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 from presenting the parent company 
profit and loss account and related notes. The Company’s net profit after tax for the year was £2,539,000 (2018: £1,368,000 profit).

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 25 November 2019 and are 
signed on its behalf by:

Alex Cheatle 
Director  

Alan Donald
Director

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

45

Financial Statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity 
for the year ended 31 August 2019

Share
capital
£’000

Share
premium 
account
£’000

Merger
relief
reserve
£’000

Foreign
exchange 
reserve
£’000

Notes

Treasury
reserve
£’000

Retained
deficit
£’000

Total
£’000

Balance at 1 September 2017

Loss for the year

Foreign exchange

Total comprehensive income for the year

Issue of share capital 

Bonus issue of share capital

Cancellation of balance on share 
premium account

Costs relating to issue of shares on Initial 
Public Offering (IPO)

Exercise of share options

Shares issued on conversion 
of convertible loan

Shares sold by Employee Benefit Trust (EBT)

Equity-settled share-based payments charge

Balance at 31 August 2018 

Loss for the year

Foreign exchange

Total comprehensive income for the year

Shares purchased by Employee Benefit 
Trust (EBT)

Equity-settled share-based payments charge

Balance at 31 August 2019

24

24

24

24

24

24

24

25

24

25

6

—

—

—

14

44

—

—

14

3

—

—

81

—

—

—

—

—

81

9,743

1,993

(388)

(84)

(4,270)

7,000

—

—

—

18,248

(44)

(9,961)

(655)

7,566

3,583

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(110)

(110)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

28,480

1,993

(498)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

153

153

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

161

—

77

—

—

—

(8,112)

(8,112)

—

(110)

(8,112)

(8,222)

— 18,262

—

9,961

—

—

—

—

947

—

—

(655)

7,580

3,586

161

947

(1,474)

28,659

(8,261)

(8,261)

—

153

(8,261)

(8,108)

(107)

—

—

501

(107)

501

28,480

1,993

(345)

(30)

(9,234)

20,945

46

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Company Statement of Changes in Equity 
for the year ended 31 August 2019

Balance at 1 September 2017

Profit for the year

Total comprehensive income for the year

Issue of share capital 

Bonus issue of share capital

Cancellation of balance on share premium account

Costs relating to issue of shares on Initial Public Offering (IPO)

Exercise of share options

Shares issued on conversion of convertible loan

Equity-settled share-based payments charge

Balance at 31 August 2018 

Profit for the year

Total comprehensive income for the year

Equity-settled share-based payments charge

Balance at 31 August 2019 

Notes

24

24

24

24

25

24

25

25

Share
capital
£’000

6

— 

—

14

44

—

—

14

3

—

81

—

—

—

81

Share
premium 
account
£’000

9,743

 —

—

18,248

(44)

(9,961)

(655)

7,566

3,583

—

Retained
earnings
£’000

1,271

1,369

1,369

—

—

9,961

—

—

—

947

Total
£’000

11,020

1,369

1,369

18,262

—

—

(655)

7,580

3,586

947

28,480

13,548

42,109

—

—

—

2,539

2,539

501

2,539

2,539

501

28,480

16,588

45,149

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

47

Financial Statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows 
for the year ended 31 August 2019

Cash flows from operating activities
Loss for the year, after tax

Adjustments for
Taxation expense/(credit)

Finance expense

Investment income

Amortisation of intangible assets

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

Equity-settled share-based payment expense

Change in value of derivatives

Movement in working capital
Decrease/(increase) in inventories

Increase in trade and other receivables

Increase in trade and other payables

Cash used by operations

Tax (paid)/received

Net cash used by operating activities

Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of intangible assets

Purchase of property, plant and equipment

Finance income

Net cash used by investing activities

Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from issue of shares

Cost of the issue of shares

(Purchase)/proceeds of treasury shares

Repayment of other loans

Payment of finance lease obligations

Interest paid

Finance lease interest paid

Net cash (used by)/generated from financing activities

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
Cash at bank and in hand

Cash and cash equivalents

48

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Notes

2019
£’000

2018
£’000

(8,261)

(8,112)

10

9

12

13

25

21

12

 13

9

 24

 24

 21

973

15

(60)

3,011

993

501

—

30

(2,055)

2,710

(2,143)

(547)

(2,690)

(4,305)

(1,187)

60

(5,432)

—

—

(100)

—

(73)

(15)

(8)

(196)

(8,318)

20,659

12,341

12,341

(386)

324

(18)

2,758

661

947

187

(45)

(1,891)

2,435

(3,140)

389

(2,751)

(4,313)

(1,445)

23

(5,735)

25,884

(655)

161

(3,895)

(90)

(134)

(12)

21,259

12,773

7,886

20,659

20,659

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Company Statement of Cash Flows 
for the year ended 31 August 2019

Cash flows from operating activities
Profit for the year after tax

Movement in working capital
Increase in trade and other receivables

(Increase)/decrease in trade and other payables

Net cash (used by) from operating activities

Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from issue of shares

Cost of the issue of shares

Net cash generated from financing activities

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year

Note

2019
£’000 

2018
£’000 

2,539

1,368

24

24 

(13,944)

(5)

(11,410)

—

—

—

(11,410)

11,491

81

(17,958)

115

(16,475)

25,884

(655)

25,229

8,754

2,737

11,491

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

49

Financial Statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements

1. Accounting policies
Company information
Ten Lifestyle Group Plc (registered company 08259177) is a public company, limited by shares and listed on the Alternative 
Investment Market (AIM) in November 2018. The Company is incorporated and domiciled in the UK. The registered office is 
2nd Floor, Fitzroy House, 355 Euston Road, London NW1 3AL. The Company previously traded under the name Ten Lifestyle 
Holdings Limited until 2 November 2017.

1.1 Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and 
IFRS Interpretations Committee (IFRS IC) interpretations as adopted for use in the European Union and with those parts 
of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies reporting under IFRS (except as otherwise stated).

The financial information has been prepared on the historical cost basis except that the derivative financial instruments are stated 
at their fair value.

The financial statements are prepared in Sterling, which is the functional currency of the Company. Monetary amounts in these 
financial statements are rounded to the nearest £’000.

The Group applied all standards and interpretations issued by the IASB that were effective as of 1 September 2018. The accounting 
policies set out below have, unless otherwise stated, been applied consistently to all years presented in this financial information.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates. It also 
requires management to exercise its judgement in the process of applying the Group’s accounting policies. The area involving a 
higher degree of judgement or complexity, or areas where assumptions and estimates are significant to the consolidated financial 
statements, are disclosed in note 3.

1.2 Consolidation
The financial information represents the consolidated financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Group”) as 
if they formed a single entity. Intercompany transactions and balances between Group companies are therefore eliminated in full. 
The results of subsidiary undertakings are included in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income from the date that 
control commences until the date that control ceases. The Company controls a subsidiary/investee if all three of the following 
elements are present: power over the investee, exposure to variable returns from the investee, and the ability of the investor to use 
its power to affect those variable returns. Control is reassessed whenever facts and circumstances indicate that there may be a 
change in any of these elements of control. In assessing control, the Group takes into consideration potential voting rights that 
are currently exercisable.

In the year ended 31 August 2013, Ten Lifestyle Group Plc, formerly Ten Lifestyle Holdings Limited, a company under common 
control of the Ten Lifestyle Management Limited shareholders, acquired Ten Lifestyle Management Limited from its shareholders 
in return for an issue of shares. As a combination of entities under common control, the transaction falls outside the scope of the 
standard IFRS 3 “Business Combinations”.

Paragraph 10 of IAS 8 “Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors” requires management to use its judgement 
in developing and applying a policy that is relevant, reliable, represents faithfully the transaction, reflects the economic substance 
of the transaction, is neutral, is prudent and is complete in all material respects when selecting the appropriate methodology for 
consolidation accounting.

In accordance with merger accounting, consolidated accounts have been prepared for the reconstructed Group as if it had always 
been in existence. The carrying value of assets and liabilities has not been adjusted to fair value. The difference between the nominal 
value of the shares issued and the nominal value of the shares received has been recorded in the merger reserve.

The cost of the Company’s shares held by the Employee Benefit Trust (EBT) is deducted from equity in the consolidated statement 
of financial position. Any cash received by the EBT on disposal of the shares it holds is also recognised directly in equity. Other assets 
and liabilities of the EBT are recognised as assets and liabilities of the Group other than when they relate to other Group companies 
and are therefore eliminated.

1.3 Segment reporting
The Group’s operating segments are based on the management reporting used by the CEO (who is considered to be the 
chief operating decision maker) and reviewed by the Board of Directors to make strategic decisions and allocate resources.

50

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS1. Accounting policies continued
1.4 Going concern
The Directors have, at the time of approving the financial statements, an expectation that the Company has adequate resources 
to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The Directors have plans and forecasts that show the Group will be 
able to continue as a going concern for at least a period of twelve months from the date of balance sheet approval despite being 
currently loss making. Cashflows are projected to be at a sufficient level to allow the group to meet its obligations. Thus, they continue 
to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

1.5 Revenue
Revenue comprises concierge service fees, digital platform fees, and revenues generated from member transactions. An entity is 
a principal if it controls the specified good or service before that good or service is transferred to a customer. The Group is principal 
in all services provided, other than in those transactions with members detailed below in the indirect concierge service revenue section. 
A typical concierge contract duration is 36 months. Revenue is stated exclusive of VAT, sales tax and trade discounts. 

Revenue is recognised when the Group has fulfilled its performance obligations under the relevant customer contract. To the 
extent that invoices are raised to a different pattern than the revenue recognition described below, appropriate adjustments are 
made through deferred and accrued income to account for revenue when the performance obligations have been met.

Furthermore, the Group receives payments from members for the concierge service which are invoiced on 30 day payment terms 
and commissions earned on agent transactions are generally received on booking dates or when deposits are due.

The Group primarily provides a concierge service (both online and offline). Where goods and/or services are sold in one bundled 
transaction, the Group allocates the total arrangement’s consideration to the different individual elements based on their relative 
fair values. Management determines the fair values of individual components based on actual amounts charged by the Group 
on a standalone basis given the lack of comparable pricing arrangements observable in the market.

The nature, timing of satisfaction of performance obligations and significant payment terms of revenues obtained by the Group 
are considered below: 

Direct concierge service revenue
The Group provides concierge services to its members (online and/or offline) and recognises concierge consideration at the 
point in time the performance obligation of managing a request is fulfilled. The Group uses the residual approach to determine 
the transaction price given the lack of observable market prices available given the niche nature of the services provided.

Where the Group’s performance of its obligations exceeds amounts received, accrued income or a trade receivable is recognised 
depending on the Group’s billing rights. Where the Group’s performance of its obligations under a contract is less than amounts 
received, a contract liability in deferred income is recognised. The amount of revenue recognised can be subject to contract structures 
including variable consideration and cap and collar thresholds. Where variable pricing structures are in place with predetermined 
service thresholds, price per service unit is therefore based on the expected entitlement (most likely method) earned up to the 
statement of financial position date under each customer agreement.

On implementing a customer contract, it is typical for the Group to charge concierge enabling fees. Where concierge enabling 
fees are capable of being separated out from an ongoing service contract, revenue will be recognised in full at the point in time of 
the launch of the service (high touch or online). When the service is not distinct, this cannot be separated from the contract and is 
therefore recognised over the contract term. Where the service is invoiced in advance and is yet to be launched (i.e. the performance 
obligation is not fulfilled), a contract liability will be held on the statement of financial position in deferred income.

Digital platform revenue
The Group provides an optional digital platform offering to its customers. Revenue generated from licensing digital products 
and software maintenance is recognised on a straight line basis over time attributed to the licence.

The nature of the Group’s promise in granting a licence is a promise to provide a right to access the Group’s intellectual property 
as the customer benefits from periodic upgrades to the platform.

Where such revenue is invoiced in advance, the revenue is deferred and released over the period of the licence with the contract 
liability recorded within deferred income in the statement of financial position.

Revenue generated from developing digital products is recognised at the point in time of the delivery of the service. Where revenue 
is based on time and rate cards are recognised at the contracted rates as labour hours are incurred. Where development income is 
invoiced in advance, the revenue is deferred as a contract liability with the balance recorded within deferred income in the statement 
of financial position and released on service delivery.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

51

Financial StatementsNotes to the Financial Statements continued

1. Accounting policies continued
1.5 Revenue continued
Indirect concierge service revenue
The Group receives payment from its members and then fulfils transactions for products and services on their behalf. This is 
treated as an agent transaction in most cases, other than in cases where the Group has the primary responsibility for providing 
the products or services to the end user, i.e. the Group carries inventory risk (such as tickets); the Group is free to establish its 
own prices either with or without bundling in other goods or services which are not supplied by the Group. A large proportion of 
transactions where the Group is principal relate to the provision of packaged travel services with Air Travel Organiser’s Licence 
(ATOL) guarantees.

Service fees and offer income are recognised over the year to which the fees or offer year relate. Where invoiced in advance, 
the fees and offer income are deferred and released over the year of the service with the balance recorded within deferred income 
in the statement of financial position.

Travel and experience revenue is recognised on the date of travel, stay or receiving the experience. Where invoiced in advance, 
the income is deferred and released on the date of travel, stay or receiving the experience with the balance recorded within 
deferred income in the statement of financial position.

Direct expenses relating to inclusive tours arranged by the Group’s leisure travel providers are taken to the income statement 
on holiday departure or over the period to which they relate as appropriate. Indirect expenses are recognised in the income 
statement over the period to which goods and services are received by the Group.

Commissions from suppliers are recognised on the point of provision of the good or service.

1.6 Intangible assets
Research expenditure is expensed to the income statement in the year in which it is incurred; expenditure on internal projects 
is capitalised if it can be demonstrated that:

 > it is technically and commercially feasible to develop the asset for future economic benefit;
 > adequate resources are available to maintain and complete the development;
 > it is the intention to complete and develop the asset for future economic benefit;
 > the Group is able to use the asset;
 > use of the asset will generate future economic benefit; and
 > expenditure on the development of the asset can be measured reliably.
Other development expenditure is recognised in the income statement as an expense as incurred. 

Capitalised development expenditure is stated at cost less accumulated amortisation and less accumulated impairment losses.

Amortisation is charged to the income statement on a straight line basis over the estimated useful lives of intangible assets. 
Intangible assets are amortised from the date they are available for use. The estimated useful lives are as follows:

Trademarks 

10% straight line

Capitalised development costs 

20% straight line

Website   

33% straight line

The basis for choosing these useful lives is with reference to the years over which they can continue to generate value for the Group. 

Amortisation charges are included within administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income. 
The Group reviews the amortisation year and methodology when events and circumstances indicate that the useful life may 
have changed since the last reporting date.

1.7 Property, plant and equipment
Property, plant and equipment are initially measured at historical cost and subsequently measured at historical cost, 
net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation on other assets is calculated using the straight line method to allocate their cost or revalued amounts to their residual 
values over their estimated useful lives, as follows:

Leasehold improvements 

Over the term of the lease

Fixtures and fittings 

Office equipment   

20% straight line

20% to 33% straight line

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying 
value of the asset, and is recognised in the income statement.

52

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Accounting policies continued
1.8 Non-current investments
The Company’s interests in subsidiaries are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost less any accumulated 
impairment losses.

1.9 Impairment of tangible and intangible assets
All tangible and intangible assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the 
carrying amount might not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognised for the amount by which the asset’s carrying amount 
exceeds its recoverable amount. The recoverable amount is the higher of an asset’s fair value less costs of disposal and value in 
use. For the purposes of assessing impairment, assets are grouped at the lowest levels for which there are largely independent 
cash inflows (CGUs).

1.10 Financial assets 
In adopting IFRS 9, the impairment of financial assets was the only area of impact on the financial information in comparison 
to the previous reporting period. 

The Group now reviews the amount of credit loss associated with its trade receivables based on a provision matrix and forward-
looking estimates that consider current and forecast credit conditions as opposed to relying solely on past historical default rates. 

In adopting IFRS 9, the Group has applied the simplified approach by applying a provision matrix based on number of days past 
due to measure lifetime expected credit losses. This takes into account the applicable customer credit risk profile and current 
and forecast trading conditions. 

The Group has elected to adopt the initial application date of 1 September 2018 and therefore has chosen not to restate comparatives. 
The impact of IFRS 9 to the year ended 31 August 2018 was deemed immaterial as measures were taken to write off bad debt 
appropriately at the end of 2018 and therefore there was no adjustment to opening reserves at 1 September 2018. Using the 
approach described above the current year saw an expected credit loss position of £514,000.

All financial assets are held under the business model of holding the asset to collect the contractual cash flows arising from the 
assets, which are made up solely of payments of the principal and interest. Therefore, all financial assets are classified at 
amortised cost.

Except for trade receivables, financial assets are initially recognised at fair value plus transaction costs that are directly attributable 
to their acquisition or issue, and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method, less provision 
for impairment. 

Trade receivables do not contain significant financing components and therefore are initially recognised at their transaction price, 
and subsequently treated in line with other financial assets. Except for trade receivables, impairment provisions are recognised 
as an expected credit loss provision under the general approach, being the expected credit loss over the next twelve months. 

Where there is a credit risk on a financial asset that has increased significantly, the impairment provision is measured at the 
lifetime expected credit loss. Impairment for trade receivables will be measured under the simplified approach with an expected 
credit loss percentage applied to each ageing category. All financial assets will be reported net of impairment; when the Group 
has no reasonable expectation of recovering a financial asset, the portion that is not recoverable is derecognised. 

These financial assets comprise trade and other receivables, accrued income, and cash and cash equivalents in the consolidated 
statement of financial position. Cash and cash equivalents includes cash in hand, deposits held with banks and other short-term 
highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. 

1.11 Financial liabilities
Financial liabilities include trade payables and other short-term monetary liabilities, which are initially recognised at fair value 
and subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method. 

1.12 Equity instruments
Equity instruments issued by the Company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of direct issue costs. Dividends payable 
on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the Company.

1.13 Taxation
The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.

Current tax
Any tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the income 
statement because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes 
items that are never taxable or deductible. The Company’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been 
enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

53

Financial StatementsNotes to the Financial Statements continued

1. Accounting policies continued
1.13 Taxation continued
Research and development tax credit
Companies within the Group may be entitled to claim special tax allowances in relation to qualifying research and development 
expenditure (e.g. R&D tax credits). The Group accounts for such allowances as tax credits, which means that they are recognised 
when it is probable that the benefit will flow to the Group and that benefit can be reliably measured. R&D tax credits relating are 
claimed taking account of the “above the line” (ATL) or research and development (R&D) expenditure credit (RDEC) tax credit scheme 
and are recognised through other income on the income statement and other receivables on the balance sheet, until the cash 
is received.

Deferred tax
Deferred tax is the tax expected to be payable or recoverable on differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities 
in the financial statements and the corresponding tax bases used in the computation of taxable profit, and is accounted for using 
the balance sheet liability method. Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all taxable temporary differences and deferred 
tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that taxable profits will be available against which deductible temporary 
differences can be utilised. Such assets and liabilities are not recognised if the temporary difference arises from the initial recognition 
of other assets and liabilities in a transaction that affects neither the tax profit nor the accounting profit.

The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each reporting end date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer 
probable that sufficient taxable profits will be available to allow all or part of the asset to be recovered. Deferred tax is calculated 
at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the year when the liability is settled or the asset is realised. Deferred tax is charged 
or credited in the income statement, except when it relates to items charged or credited directly to “other comprehensive income”, 
in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in “other comprehensive income”. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset 
when the Company has a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets and liabilities and the deferred tax assets and 
liabilities relate to taxes levied by the same tax authority.

1.14 Provisions
Provisions are recognised when the Group has a legal or constructive present obligation as a result of a past event, it is probable 
that the Group will be required to settle that obligation and a reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the Group obligation.

The amount recognised as a provision is the best estimate of the consideration required to settle the present obligation at the 
reporting end date, taking into account the risks and uncertainties surrounding the obligation. Where a provision is measured 
using the cash flows estimated to settle the present obligation, its carrying amount is the present value of those cash flows.

When some or all of the economic benefits required to settle a provision are expected to be recovered from a third party, a 
receivable is recognised as an asset if it is virtually certain that reimbursement will be received and the amount of the receivable 
can be measured reliably.

1.15 Employee benefits
The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be 
recognised as part of the cost of inventories or non-current assets. The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised 
in the year in which the employee’s services are received.

1.16 Retirement benefits
The Group operates a defined contribution pension plan, under which the Group pays contributions to privately administered pension 
plans on a mandatory, contractual or voluntary basis. The Group has no further payment obligations once the contributions have 
been paid. The contributions are recognised as employee benefit expense when they are due. Prepaid contributions are recognised 
as an asset to the extent that a cash refund or a reduction in the future payments is available.

1.17 Share-based payments
Equity-settled share-based payments are measured at fair value at the date of grant by reference to the fair value of the equity 
instruments granted using appropriate pricing models. The fair value determined at the grant date is expensed on a straight line 
basis over the vesting year, based on the estimate of shares that will eventually vest. A corresponding adjustment is made to equity.

The Group schemes, which award shares in the parent entity, include recipients who are employees in certain subsidiaries. In the 
consolidated financial statements, the transaction is treated as an equity-settled share-based payment, as the Group has received 
services in consideration for the Group’s equity instruments. An expense is recognised in the Group income statement for the grant 
date fair value of the share-based payment over the vesting year, with a credit recognised in equity. 

In the subsidiaries’ financial statements, the awards, in proportion to the recipients who are employees in said subsidiary, 
are treated as an equity-settled share-based payment, as the subsidiaries do not have an obligation to settle the award. An expense 
for the grant date fair value of the award is recognised over the vesting year, with a credit recognised in equity. The credit to equity 
is treated as a capital contribution, as the parent company is compensating the subsidiaries’ employees with no cost to the subsidiaries 
as there is no expectation to recharge this cost. In the parent company’s financial statements, there is no share-based payment 
charge where the recipients are employed by a subsidiary, with the parent company recognising an increase in the investment 
in the subsidiaries as a capital contribution from the parent and a credit to equity.

54

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS1. Accounting policies continued
1.18 Leases
Leases are classified as finance leases whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership 
to the Group. All other leases are classified as operating leases.

Rentals payable under operating leases, less any lease incentives received, are charged to income on a straight line basis over 
the term of the lease.

1.19 Foreign currency
Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at the exchange rate at the date of transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities in 
foreign currencies are translated at the rates of exchange at the statement of financial position date. Any gain or loss arising from 
a change in the exchange rates subsequent to the date of the transaction is included as a gain or loss in other comprehensive income.

The statements of financial position of the foreign subsidiaries are translated into Sterling at the rate at the year end. The results of 
the foreign subsidiaries are translated into Sterling at the average rate of exchange during the financial year. Exchange differences 
which arise from the translation of opening net assets of the foreign subsidiary undertakings are included in the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income.

1.20 Descriptions of nature of each component of equity
The components of the Group’s equity can be described as follows:

 > Share capital – The amount for the nominal value of shares issued.
 > Share premium – The amount subscribed for share capital in excess of nominal value, after deducting costs of issue.
 > Foreign exchange reserve – This reserve relates to exchange differences arising on the translation of the balance sheet of the 
Group’s foreign operations at the closing rate and the translation of the income statement of those operations at the average rate.

 > Merger reserve – Under the provisions of Section 612 of the Companies Act 2006, the merger reserve represents the difference 

between the consideration paid and the book value of the net assets acquired, as part of a legacy Group reconstruction.

 > Treasury reserve – The reserve relates to shares held in the Group’s Employee Benefit Trust.
 > Retained deficit – The retained deficit reserve contains the net gains and losses recognised in the consolidated statement 

of comprehensive income.

1.21 Inventories
Inventories comprise tickets held for resale and are stated at the lower of cost or net realisable value. Consignment tickets are not 
included within stocks held by the Group. Inventories are valued using a first-in first-out (FIFO) method.

2. Adoption of new and revised standards
At the date of authorisation of these financial statements, the Group has not applied the following new and revised IFRSs that have 
been issued but are not yet effective and, in some cases, have not yet been adopted by the EU: 

IFRS 16 “Leases”
IFRS 16 “Leases” is effective for annual years beginning on or after 1 January 2019 and sets out the principles for the recognition, 
measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both parties to a contract, i.e. the customer (“lessee”) and the supplier 
(“lessor”), and provides a single lessee accounting model, requiring lessees to recognise right of use assets and lease liabilities for 
all applicable leases. IFRS 16 completes the IASB’s project to improve the financial reporting of leases and replaces the previous 
leases standard, IAS 17 “Leases”, and related interpretations. 

If the standard were to be adopted during the current financial period and applied to the operating leases currently in the Group, 
it will bring all operating leases onto the balance sheet in line with the accounting treatment for finance leases. The impact would 
be an increase in the assets and liabilities of the Group by amounts which are based on the amounts disclosed as operating lease 
commitments in note 26. Furthermore, instead of recognising an operating expense for its operating lease payments, the Group 
will instead recognise interest on its lease liabilities and amortisation on its right of use assets. This will increase the reported 
Adjusted EBITA by the amount of its current operating lease cost. It is envisaged that, as the Group expands, the use of operating 
leases will increase. As such, the Group has determined the financial statements will be materially impacted on adoption of IFRS 
16 given the requirements of the standard and materiality of operating leases held by the Group.

The Group plans to apply the full retrospective approach with restatement of comparative information. Under this approach, the 
cumulative effect of initially applying IFRS 16 is recognised as an adjustment to equity at 1 September 2018. Comparative figures 
for the year ended 31 August 2019 will also be restated to reflect the adoption of IFRS 16.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

55

Financial StatementsNotes to the Financial Statements continued

2. Adoption of new and revised standards continued
IFRS 16 “Leases” continued
IFRIC Interpretation 23 Uncertainty over Income Tax Treatment 
The Interpretation addresses the accounting for income taxes when tax treatments involve uncertainty that affects the application 
of IAS 12 and does not apply to taxes or levies outside the scope of IAS 12, nor does it specifically include requirements relating 
to interest and penalties associated with uncertain tax treatments. The Interpretation specifically addresses the following: 

 > whether an entity considers uncertain tax treatments separately;
 > the assumptions an entity makes about the examination of tax treatments by taxation authorities;
 > how an entity determines taxable profit (tax loss), tax bases, unused tax losses, unused tax credits;
 > tax rates; and 
 > how an entity considers changes in facts and circumstances.
An entity must determine whether to consider each uncertain tax treatment separately or together with one or more other uncertain 
tax treatments. The approach that better predicts the resolution of the uncertainty should be followed. The interpretation is effective 
for annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019, but certain transition reliefs are available. The Group will apply the 
interpretation from its effective date. Since the Group operates in a complex multinational tax environment, applying the Interpretation 
may affect its consolidated financial statements. In addition, the Group may need to establish processes and procedures to obtain 
information that is necessary to apply the Interpretation on a timely basis.

A number of other new standards, amendments and interpretations are effective for years beginning on or after 1 January 2019 
and have not been applied in preparing the financial statements of the Group. The Directors do not expect that the adoption of 
the other new standards will have a material impact on the financial statements of the Group in future periods. 

In the current year, the Group has applied a number of amendments to IFRSs issued by the International Accounting Standards 
Board (IASB) that are mandatorily effective for an accounting period that begins on or after 1 September 2018. The new and amended 
accounting standards adopted during the year are: 

 > IFRS 15 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (effective 1 January 2018); and
 > IFRS 9 “Financial Instruments” which replaces IAS 39 (effective date 1 January 2018).

IFRS 9 “Financial Instruments”
The Group has elected to adopt the initial application date of 1 September 2018 and the only changes made from the previous 
reporting period is in relation to the impairment of financial assets. The Group now reviews the amount of credit loss associated with 
its trade receivables based on forward looking estimates that take into account current and forecast credit conditions as opposed 
to relying on past historical default rates. The Group has applied the Simplified Approach applying a provision matrix based on number 
of days past due to measure lifetime expected credit losses and has chosen not to restate comparatives. On the adoption of the 
IFRS 9, the adjustment to the opening reserves was immaterial with an expected credit loss of £514,000 against trade receivables 
in the current financial year. Details of the expected credit loss provision for trade receivables is shown in note 17.

IFRS 15 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” 
IFRS 15 revenue from contracts with customers was adopted from the 1st of September 2018 replacing IAS 18 Revenue. IFRS 15 
is intended to clarify the principles of revenue recognition and establish a single framework for revenue recognition. This standard 
replaces the previous standard IAS 18 Revenue, IAS 11 Construction Contracts and revenue related IFRICs. The core principle is 
that an entity should recognise revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects 
the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The Group has transitioned 
to the new standard through means of the cumulative effect method as at 1 September. There has been no impact of revenues 
reported nor assets and liabilities as a result of adopting the standard. The new accounting policy for revenue recognition is 
explained in detail in note 1.5.

3. Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty 
IAS 1 requires disclosure of the judgements, apart from those involving estimations, that management has made in the process 
of applying the entity’s accounting policies that have the most significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements.

In addition, IAS 1 requires disclosure of information about the assumptions the entity makes about the future, and other major sources 
of estimation uncertainty at the end of the reporting period, that have a significant risk of resulting in a material adjustment to the 
carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year. In respect of those assets and liabilities, the notes to the 
financial statements include details of their nature and carrying amount at the end of the reporting period.

56

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS3. Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty continued
In the application of the Group and Company’s accounting policies, the Directors are required to make judgements, estimates 
and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates 
and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results 
may differ from these estimates. The Directors believe there are two areas within the financial statements which constitute critical 
accounting judgements as follows:

Capitalisation of development costs
Development costs are capitalised based on an assessment of whether they meet the criteria specified in IAS 38 for capitalisation. 
During each reporting period, an assessment is performed by management to determine the time spent developing the intangible 
assets (note 12) as a proportion of total time spent in the year. This represents an area of judgement and impacts the value of 
intangible costs capitalised (2019: £4.4m; 2018: £4.3m). 

Useful economic lives
Capitalised development costs in respect of the TenMAID and digital platform are amortised over their useful life of five years. 
The useful life is based on management’s judgement which reflects the period over which the asset is expected to generate 
future economic benefits, and is annually reviewed for appropriateness.

Material estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to material accounting estimates 
are recognised in the year in which the estimate is revised and future years as appropriate. 

4. Segment reporting
The total revenue for the Group has been derived from its principal activity, the provision of concierge services. This has been 
disaggregated appropriately into operational segment and geographical location.

The Group has three reportable segments: Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), North and South America (“Americas”) 
and Asia-Pacific (APAC). Each segment is a strategic business unit and includes businesses with similar operating characteristics. 
They are managed separately in similar time zones to reflect the geographical management structure.

EMEA
Americas
APAC

Net Revenue
Add back: cost of sales on principal transactions

Revenue

EMEA
Americas
APAC

Adjusted EBITA 
Amortisation
Share-based payment expense
Exceptional costs

Operating loss
Foreign exchange gain/(loss)
Other net finance expense

Loss before taxation
Taxation (expense)/credit

Loss for the year

2019 
£’000

20,494
15,795
9,543

45,832
 3,248 

49,080

1,925
(4,691)
(1,549)

(4,315)
(3,011)
(501)
—

(7,827)
554
(15)

(7,288)
(973)

(8,261)

2018 
£’000

17,411
11,406
8,559

37,376
2,746

40,122

3,069
(6,785)
(166)

(3,882)
(2,758)
(947)
(418)

(8,005)
(117)
(376)

(8,498)
386

(8,112)

Statutory revenues for the Americas and APAC segments are the same as the Net Revenue amounts disclosed above. 
Statutory revenues for the EMEA segment were £23,742k (2018: £20,157k).

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

57

Financial StatementsNotes to the Financial Statements continued

4. Segment reporting continued
The Group’s statutory revenue from external customers is generated from commercial relationships entered into by various Group 
companies, which, given the global nature of the Group’s service delivery model, may not reflect the location where the services 
are delivered, as reflected in the Net Revenue segmentation noted above. The Group’s statutory revenue split by contracting country 
is as laid out below:

UK
USA
Switzerland
Brazil
Rest of world

Revenue

2019 
£’000

34,435
3,540
7,847
965
2,293

49,080

2018 
£’000

27,697
2,852
7,430
1,043
1,100

40,122

The Group’s statutory revenue is disaggregated into the following revenue streams as detailed in the revenue accounting policy (note 1.5). 
In addition, the Group disaggregates revenue into services where the Group is considered agent or principal as below:

Concierge service fees
Indirect concierge service revenue
Digital platform fees

Total revenue

Revenue from services as principal

Revenue from services as agent

2019
£’000

38,515
9,875
690

49,080

2019
£’000

48,122

958

49,080

2018
£’000

30,901
8,391
829

40,122

2018
£’000

39,516

606

40,122

Net Revenue is a non-GAAP company measure that excludes the direct cost of sales relating to member transactions managed 
by the Group, such as the cost of airline tickets sold under the Group’s ATOL licences. Net Revenue is the measure of the Group’s 
income on which segmental performance is measured.

Adjusted EBITA is a company non-GAAP specific measure excluding interest, taxation, amortisation, share-based payment 
and exceptional costs, the latter being expenses which are considered to be one-off and non-recurring in nature which relate 
to the IPO in the current year. 

Adjusted EBITA is the main measure of performance used by the Group’s Chief Executive Officer, who is considered to 
be the chief operating decision maker. Adjusted EBITA is the principal profit measure for a segment. 

The statement of financial position is not analysed between reporting segment. Management and the chief operating decision 
maker consider the statement of financial position at Group level.

Two customers generated more than 10% of total revenue each during the year ended 31 August 2019. The total combined 
revenue of these customers was £10.2m (2018: £8.1m) and was mainly included in the EMEA and Americas segments.

4.1 Exceptional items

Cost of admission to the AIM

Employee share option advisory costs

58

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

2019 
£’000

—

—

—

2018 
£’000

378

40

418

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
5. Operating loss
Operating loss for the year is stated after charging:

Exchange (gains)/losses

Research and development costs

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

Amortisation of intangible assets

Operating lease rental

Bad debt provision expense

6. Auditor’s remuneration

For audit services
Audit of the financial statements of the Company

Audit of the financial statements of the Company’s subsidiaries

For other services
Tax services for the Company

Tax services for the Company’s subsidiaries

Other services

7. Employees
The average monthly number of persons (including Directors) employed by the Group during the year was:

UK

International

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

Wages and salaries

Social security costs

Pension costs

Share-based payments

2019 
£’000

(494)

673

993

3,011

4,110

514

2019 
£’000

83

15

98

10

58

17

85

2018 
£’000

117

878

661

2,758

3,853

—

2018 
£’000

85

15

100

12

5

—

17

2019 
Number

2018 
Number

240

597

837

2019 
£’000

29,453

2,636

779

501

215

535

750

2018 
£’000

24,861

2,588

348

947

33,369

28,744

The Company had no employment costs for the year (2018: £nil) since the eight (2018: nine) Directors who held office during the 
year to 31 August 2019 had their remuneration paid by subsidiary companies.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

59

Financial StatementsNotes to the Financial Statements continued

8. Directors’ remuneration

Remuneration for qualifying services

Pension contributions to defined contribution schemes

Share-based payments – gain on the exercise of share options during year

2019 
£’000

963

12

—

975

2018 
£’000

870

7

7,369

8,246

During November 2018, at the same time as the Initial Public Offering of the Company’s shares, four Directors exercised share 
options totalling to 9,516,840 options at an exercise price which ranged from 0.09p to 0.875p. The market value of the shares 
at the time of sale was £12.7m and this resulted in a gain on exercise of share options of £7.4m.

Full details of Directors’ remuneration are presented in the Remuneration Committee Report on pages 32 to 34.

Remuneration disclosed above includes the following amounts paid to the highest paid Director:

Remuneration for qualifying services

Share-based payments – expense

Share-based payments – gain on the exercise of share options during year

2019 
£’000

295

144

—

439

2018 
£’000

277

118

1,880

2,275

The number of Directors for whom retirement benefits are accruing under defined contribution schemes amounted to three 
(2018: three).

9. Net finance expense

(Gains)/losses on foreign exchange

Interest on bank overdrafts and loans

Interest on loan notes

Interest on obligations under finance leases

Change in value of financial derivative

Other gains

Total finance (income)/expense

10. Income tax expense

Current tax
Foreign taxes

Research and development tax credits

Deferred tax (note 23)
Origination and reversal of temporary differences

Total tax credit

60

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

2019 
£’000

(494)

3

—

12

—

(60)

(539)

2019 
£’000

973

—

973

—

973

2018 
£’000

117

1

194

12

187

(18)

493

2018 
£’000

568

(754)

(186)

(200)

(386)

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
10. Income tax expense continued
The credit for the year can be reconciled to the loss per the income statement as follows:

Loss before taxation

Expected tax credit based on a corporation tax rate of 19% (2018: 19%)

Effect of expenses not deductible in determining taxable profit

Accelerated capital allowances

Movement in deferred tax not recognised

Research and development tax credits

Overseas tax rate differences

Overseas tax due to transfer pricing adjustments

Taxation charge/(credit) for the year

2019 
£’000

7,288

(1,385)

15

—

1,796

—

347

200

973

2018 
£’000

8,498

(1,615)

90

(200)

1,846

(754)

197

50

(386)

The Group has tax losses carried forward at 31 August 2019 of £19.1m (2018: £15.5m). The movement in deferred tax not 
recognised is a result of the increase in these losses.

The Group has an unrecognised deferred tax asset of approximately £0.25m (2018: £0.1m) in respect of possible future tax 
deductions from the exercise of Company share options. No deferred tax asset has been recognised in respect of the losses 
due to the Company not currently forecasting to generate sufficient taxable profits to realise the asset in the foreseeable future.

The movement in deferred tax not recognised is largely due to the significant increase in losses during the period.

Changes in the applicable tax rates
A reduction in the UK corporation tax rate from 20% to 19% (effective from 1 April 2017) was substantively enacted on 26 October 2015. 
An additional reduction to 17% (effective 1 April 2020) was substantively enacted on 6 September 2016.

11. Loss per share
On 19 October 2017, the Company redesignated the ordinary C shares as ordinary shares and made a bonus issue of ordinary 
shares on the basis of seven ordinary shares for each ordinary share then held.

Loss attributable to equity shareholders of the parent

Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue

Impact of bonus issue

Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue adjusted for bonus issue

Basic loss per share (pence)

2019 
£’000

(8,261)

2018 
£’000

(8,112)

80,096,503

28,988,054

— 44,083,154

80,096,503

73,071,208

(10.3)p

(11.1)p

Basic loss per ordinary share
Basic loss per ordinary share is calculated by dividing the net result for the year attributable to shareholders by the weighted 
number of ordinary shares outstanding during the year, as adjusted to reflect the redesignation of ordinary C shares and the 
subsequent bonus issue of ordinary shares which occurred during the year ended 31 August 2018.

Diluted loss per ordinary share
Where the Group has incurred a loss in the year, the diluted loss per share is the same as the basic loss per share as the loss 
has an anti-dilutive effect. Therefore, basic and diluted loss per share for the years ended 31 August 2018 and 31 August 2019 
are calculated on the same basis.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

61

Financial StatementsNotes to the Financial Statements continued

12. Intangible assets

Cost
At 31 August 2017

Additions

Disposals

At 31 August 2018

Additions

At 31 August 2019

Accumulated amortisation
At 31 August 2017

Charge for the year

Disposals

At 31 August 2018

Charge for the year

At 31 August 2019

Carrying amount
At 31 August 2018

At 31 August 2019

Capitalised
development
costs
 £’000

Website
£’000 

Trademarks
£’000 

Total
£’000 

16,912

4,313

(408)

20,817

4,305

25,122

11,620

2,151

(408)

13,363

2,780

16,143

7,454

8,979

1,909

—

—

1,909

—

1,909

1,041

607

—

1,648

231

1,879

261

30

55

—

—

55

—

55

55

—

—

55

—

55

—

—

18,876

4,313

(408)

22,781

4,305

27,086

12,716

2,758

(408)

15,066

3,011

18,077

7,715

9,009

All additions relate to internal expenditure. The useful economic life of the capitalised development platforms and website are 
assessed to be five years and three years respectively.

62

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13. Property, plant and equipment 

Cost
At 1 September 2017

Additions

At 31 August 2018

Additions

Disposals

At 31 August 2019

Accumulated depreciation
At 1 September 2017

Charge for the year

At 31 August 2018

Charge for the year

Disposals

At 31 August 2019

Carrying amount
At 31 August 2018

At 31 August 2019

Leasehold
improvements
£’000

Fixtures
and fittings
£’000

Office
equipment
£’000

479

98

577

57

(96)

538

265

95

360

90

(43)

407

217

131

321

128

449

205

—

654

171

78

249

152

—

401

200

253

3,537

1,219

4,756

925

(147)

5,534

 2,983 

488

3,471

751

(147)

4,075

1,285

1,459

Total
£’000

4,337

1,445

5,782

1,187

(243)

6,726

 3,419 

661

4,080

993

(190)

4,883

1,702

1,843

The net carrying value of tangible fixed assets includes £5,201 (2018: £78,090) in respect of assets held under finance leases 
or hire purchase contracts. All assets held under finance leases or hire purchase contracts are included in office equipment. 
The value of the additions of such assets in the year was £nil (2018: £64,650). The depreciation charge in respect of such assets 
amounted to £20,806 (2018: £60,110) for the year.

The Group’s obligations under finance leases are secured by the lessors’ title to the leased assets.

14. Investments
All investments held by the Company are investments in subsidiaries which are held at cost.

Investments in subsidiaries

Cost
At 31 August 2018

Additions

At 31 August 2019

Carrying amount
At 31 August 2018

At 31 August 2019

2018 
£’000

5,276

2019 
£’000

45,181

5,276

39,905

45,181

5,276

45,181

The addition in the year represents capital contributions of £0.5m made to the Company’s subsidiaries in respect of the share 
option expense recognised on share options issued by the Company to employees of the appropriate subsidiaries. 

On 30 August the Company increased its investment in Ten Lifestyle Management Limited by subscribing for 39,404,317 shares 
at £1 per share, satisfied by the forgiving of debt owed by Ten Lifestyle Management Limited to the Company of £39.4m which 
had increased over the course of the year.

Both of these transactions represent non-cash transactions during the year.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

63

Financial StatementsNotes to the Financial Statements continued

15. Subsidiaries 
Details of the Company’s subsidiaries at 31 August 2019 are as follows:

Name of undertaking

Ten Lifestyle Management Limited1

Country of
incorporation

UK

Ten Lifestyle Management (Asia) Limited

Hong Kong

Ten Lifestyle Management USA Inc.

Ten Lifestyle Management (Canada) ULC

Ten Group Singapore PTE Limited

Ten Group Japan K.K.

Ten Lifestyle Commercial Consulting (China)

USA

Canada

Singapore

Japan

China

Ten Lifestyle Management Limited S DE RL DE CV

Mexico

Ten Lifestyle Management Africa (Pty) Limited

South Africa

Ten Lifestyle Management India Private Limited

Ten Servicos de Concierge do Brasil Limited

Ten Group Belgium BVBA

Ten Group Australia Pty Limited

India

Brazil

Belgium

Australia

Ten Lifestyle Management Switzerland GmbH

Switzerland

Ten Group France SAS

Ten Group (RUS) LLC

Ten Group Norway AS

Ten Latin America Limited

Ten South America Limited

Ten Global Services Limited

Ten Travel Limited

Ten Professional Services Limited

Bailey Medical Support Limited

1  Shares held directly by Ten Lifestyle Group Plc.

France

Russia

Norway

UK

UK

UK

UK

UK

UK

Ownership
interest
%

Voting
power held
%

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

Nature of business

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Concierge services

Dormant

Dormant

Dormant

Dormant

Dormant

Dormant

64

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS15. Subsidiaries continued
The registered offices of the Company’s subsidiaries are as follows:

Name of undertaking

Registered office

Ten Lifestyle Management Limited

2nd Floor, Fitzroy House, 355 Euston Road, London NW1 3AL, United Kingdom

Ten Lifestyle Management (Asia) Limited

Unit 21–101 WeWork Taikoo, Cityplaza Three, Taikoo, Hong Kong

Ten Lifestyle Management USA Inc

10th Floor, 33 New Montgomery Street, Suite 1090, San Francisco CA, 94105, USA

Ten Lifestyle Management (Canada) ULC

1200 Bay Street, Suite 202, Toronto, Ontario M5R 2A5, Canada

Ten Group Singapore PTE Limited

63 Market Street, #11-04 Bank of Singapore Centre 048942, Singapore

Ten Group Japan K.K.

Ten Lifestyle Commercial Consulting (China)

Ten Lifestyle Management S DE RL DE CV

7F Sumitomo Sasazuka Taiyo Building, 1-48-3 Sasazuka, Shibuya-ku, 
Tokyo 151-0073, Japan

Floor 12, Platinum Building, 233 Tai Cang Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai, 
200020, China

Torre Reforma Latino, Reforma 296, Piso 14, Suite 1400 Colonia Juárez, 
Mexico D.F., 06600

Ten Lifestyle Management Africa (Pty) Limited

7th Floor, 19 Louis Gradner Street, Foreshore, Cape Town 8001, South Africa

Ten Lifestyle Management India Private Limited The Ruby, South East Wing, 9th Floor, 29 Senapati Bapat Marg, Dadar (W), 

Mumbai 400028, Maharashtra, India

Ten Servicos de Concierge do Brasil Limited

Rua Gomes de Carvalho, No 1356, Connjunto 131, Jardim Paulista, CEP 04547-005, 
São Paulo, Brazil

Ten Group Belgium BVBA

Brussels Airport Corporate Village, Leonardo Da Vin-cilaan, 91935 Zaventem, Belgium

Ten Group Australia Pty Limited

Level 9, 401 Collins Street, 3000, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Ten Group France SAS

Ten Group (RUS) LLC

Ten Group Norway AS

66 avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008, Paris, France

Office 612, Smolenskaya Square 3, 121099, Moscow, Russia

9th Floor, 16 Dronning Eufemias Gate, 0191 Oslo, Norway

Ten Lifestyle Management Switzerland GmbH Red Tower, Floor F0 Limmatstrasse 250, 8005, Zurich, Switzerland

The registered office of the dormant subsidiaries incorporated in the UK is 2nd Floor, Fitzroy House, 355 Euston Road, London 
NW1 3AL, United Kingdom.

16. Trade and other receivables
Trade receivables disclosed below are measured at fair value using the expected credit loss model.

Group

Trade receivables (note 17)

Provision for bad and doubtful debts

Other receivables

Prepayments and accrued income

2019 
£’000

4,650

(514)

4,136

947

5,986

11,069

2018 
£’000

3,852

—

3,852

1,005

4,157

9,014

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

65

Financial StatementsNotes to the Financial Statements continued

16. Trade and other receivables continued

Company

Amounts falling due within one year:

Other receivables

Total other receivables due within one year

Amounts falling due after more than one year:

Amounts due from Group undertakings

Total other receivables due in more than one year

2019 
£’000

—

—

—

—

2018 
£’000

52

52

25,408

25,408

Movements in Group contract assets and liabilities were as follows: 

 > trade receivables increased from £3.85m in 2018 to £4.14m at the reporting date; 
 > accrued income increased from £1.69m in 2018 to £2.23m at the reporting date with all accrued income recognised 

at 31 August 2018 released during the year; and

 > deferred income increased from £2.16m in 2018 to £2.26m at the reporting date with all deferred income recognised 

at 31 August 2018 released during the year with the exception of £170k. 

The fair value of trade and other receivables below is the same as the carrying value as credit risk has been addressed as part 
of impairment provisioning and due to the short-term nature of the amounts receivable they are not subject to other ongoing 
fluctuations in market rates.

On 30 August the Company increased its investment in Ten Lifestyle Management Limited by subscribing for 39,404,317 shares 
for cash at £1 per share, satisfied by the release of debt owed by Ten Lifestyle Management Limited to the Company of £39.4m.

The Company holds no receivables at the reporting date.

17. Trade receivables – credit risk
Ageing of due and past due but not impaired receivables

Ageing of due and past due but not impaired receivables

0–30 days

30–60 days

60–90 days

90–120 days

120+ days

Provision for bad and doubtful debts

2019 
£’000

3,086

840

123

185

416

4,650

(514)

4,136

2018 
£’000

2,668

847

126

41

170

3,852

—

3,852

The Group provides against trade receivables using the expected credit loss model as at the reporting date. In the previous 
financial year the provision was £nil.

66

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS17. Trade receivables – credit risk continued
Ageing of due and past due but not impaired receivables continued

0–30 days

30–60 days

60–90 days

90–120 days

120+ days

Trade
Receivables
£’000

Expected credit
 loss provision
£’000

Expected credit
 loss provision
%

3,086

840

123

185

416

4,650

54

90

49

44

277

514

2%

11%

40%

24%

67%

The provision is based on prior experience using a provision matrix whilst considering an assessment of the current and future 
expected economic climate, in addition to taking into account the length of time that the receivable has been overdue.

Movement in the allowances for doubtful debts

Balance at 1 September 2018

Additional allowance recognised

Amounts written off as uncollectable

Balance at 31 August 2019

18. Cash and cash equivalents

Cash at banks and on hand – unrestricted

Cash at banks and on hand – restricted

Cash and cash equivalents

2019 
£’000

—

514

—

514

2018 
£’000

288

—

(288)

—

2019 
£’000

12,100

241

12,341

2018 
£’000

20,411

248

20,659

Cash at bank earns interest at floating rates based on daily bank deposit rates. 

The Group holds cash in a restricted access account in respect of guarantees. These guarantees arise in the ordinary course of 
business and relate to the Group’s travel operations. The guarantees are required under consumer protection schemes in certain 
markets and are provided by banks, which hold restricted cash to support the guarantee. As such, this guarantee will be required 
for the long term, unless local regulations are amended.

19. Trade and other payables

Group

Trade payables

Accruals and deferred income

Social security and other taxation

Other payables

2019 
£’000

227

9,206

2,079

1,233

12,745

2018 
£’000

1,453

6,346

1,246

982

10,027

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

67

Financial StatementsNotes to the Financial Statements continued

19. Trade and other payables continued

Company

Accruals

Amounts due to Group companies

The fair value of trade and other payables is the same as the carrying values.

20. Overseas tax liabilities

Overseas tax liabilities

2019 
£’000

88

25

2019 
£’000

596

The liabilities relate to overseas tax liabilities. The liabilities will reduce as overseas tax filings are finalised and paid.

21. Borrowings
All borrowings were paid off during the previous financial year ended 31 August 2018.

22. Finance lease obligations
Amounts payable under finance leases:

Within one year

In two to five years

2019
£’000

30

2

32

2018 
£’000

118

—

2018 
£’000

396

2018
£’000

64

32

96

The Directors have assessed that the present value of the minimum lease payments is not materially different to the carrying value.

The Group’s finance leases relate to some of the computer equipment used within its business. Such assets are classified as finance 
leases when the rental year amounts to the estimated useful economic life of the assets concerned and the Group has the right 
to purchase the assets outright at the end of the minimum lease term by paying a nominal amount.

23. Deferred taxation
The movement in the deferred tax is shown below.

Deferred tax liability at 1 September 2017

Deferred tax movements in prior year
Release to profit or loss

Deferred tax liability at 31 August 2018

Deferred tax movements in current year

Deferred tax liability at 31 August 2019

Accelerated
capital
allowances
£’000

200

—

(200)

—

—

—

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the year when the asset is realised 
or the liability settled, based on tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted at the balance sheet date (17% to 19%).

68

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS24. Share capital

80,650,049 ordinary shares of £0.001 each

2019
Number
‘000

80,650

80,650

2018
Number
‘000

80,650

80,650

There were no share issues during the financial year ended 31 August 2019. All shares are fully paid.

Own shares held
An Employee Benefit Trust (Ten Group Employee Benefit Trust) was established in February 2012. During the year, the Employee 
Benefit Trust purchased 280,426 shares (£0.001 nominal value) for consideration of £0.1m resulting in a total subscription of 
553,546 ordinary shares at £0.2m (2018: 273,120, £0.1m). These are treated as treasury shares and are included in the treasury 
reserve in the consolidated statement of financial position. 

In the year ending 31 August 2018 an additional £0.7m was recognised as a deduction against share premium in the year 
representing the costs associated with issuing equity on IPO and therefore are not included in exceptional items in the profit 
or loss account.

25. Share options
All share options relating to the UK tax authority approved Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) share option plan and the 
unapproved share option plan fully vested on completion of the IPO other than those options with performance conditions 
which were not met and therefore lapsed in the year. The Company Share Option Plan (CSOP) remains in place and the 
Management Incentive Plan (MIP) commenced on 9 November 2017.

For all current schemes, the holder must be in continued employment of the Company for three years for the option to vest. 
All options unexercised after a period of ten years from the date of grant expire. The Group has no legal or constructive obligation 
to repurchase or settle the options in cash.

Options are exercisable at a range of between £0.001 per share and £1.60 per share. The weighted average remaining contractual 
life of the share options outstanding at 31 August 2019 is 8.5 years.

The total expense recognised for year ended 31 August 2019 arising from equity-settled share-based payment transactions 
amounted to £0.5m (2018: £0.9m).

Number of options outstanding at 31 August 2017 

Bonus issue in the year (7 to 1) 

Granted in the year – CSOP

Granted in the year – MIP

Exercised in the year – EMI

Exercised in the year – unapproved

Forfeited in the year – CSOP

Lapsed in the year – EMI

Number of options outstanding at 31 August 2018

Granted in the year – CSOP

Granted in the year – MIP

Forfeited in the year – CSOP

Forfeited in the year – MIP

Number of options outstanding at 31 August 2019

Number of options exercisable at 31 August 2019

Number

2,116,942

14,818,602

124,897

Weighted average
exercise price
£

 4.58 

 0.57 

 1.55 

1,360,956

 0.001 

(9,882,336)

(3,760,000)

(60,000)

(1,169,352)

3,549,709

816,205

947,187

(499,575)

(76,000)

4,737,526

283,856

 0.56 

 0.88 

 0.56 

 0.56 

 0.42

0.99

 0.001 

0.81

 0.001 

0.43 

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

69

Financial Statements 
Notes to the Financial Statements continued

25. Share options continued

January 2013 to January 2023 

January 2013 to January 2023 

January 2013 to January 2023

May 2014 to January 2023

December 2015 to December 2025

August 2017 to August 2027

December 2017 to December 2027

February 2018 to February 2028

March 2018 to March 2028

April 2018 to April 2028

May 2018 to May 2028

August 2018 to August 2028

September 2018 to September 2028

September 2018 to September 2028

November 2018 to November 2028

November 2018 to November 2028

December 2018 to December 2028

January 2019 to January 2029

April 2019 to April 2029

June 2019 to June 2029

June 2019 to June 2029

July 2019 to July 2029

August 2019 to August 2029

Number
as at
31 August 2019

Number
as at
31 August 2018

Exercise
price
£

Remaining
contractual
life
(Years)

EMI

EMI

EMI

EMI

EMI

CSOP

MIP

CSOP

CSOP

MIP

CSOP

CSOP

CSOP

MIP

CSOP

MIP

CSOP

CSOP

CSOP

CSOP

MIP

CSOP

CSOP

97,336 

24,672 

9,440

29,416 

97,336

24,672

 9,440 

29,416

122,992 

1,340,000 

1,216,000 

 122,992

1,780,000

1,292,000

—

9,375

68,956

22,222 

33,725 

34,483 

112,360 

86,875 

344,828 

42,857 

67,781 

45,802 

134,831 

490,000 

25,424 

378,151 

19,354

9,375

68,956

44,444

51,724

— 

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

4,737,526 

3,549,709

0.22

0.54

0.41

0.41

0.56

0.75

0.001

1.55

1.60

0.001

1.35

0.87

0.87

0.001

0.69

0.001

0.87

0.87

0.66

0.89

0.001

1.18

1.19

3.4

3.4

3.4

3.7

6.3

8.0

8.3

8.5

8.5

8.6

8.7

9.0

9.0 

9.0 

9.2 

9.2 

9.3 

9.4 

9.6 

9.8 

9.8 

9.9 

10.0 

The period noted in the table below reflects the month during which the options were awarded to the month of expiration. 
For the share options granted during the year, the weighted average fair value of the options is £0.65.

Management Incentive Plan
Under the MIP, 754,828 options were issued conditional on achievement of performance conditions based on total shareholder 
return (market) and, for some participants, operational targets (non-market). A further 192,360 share options were issued, conditional 
on three years of employment service (non-market) from the date of grant. All share options granted under the MIP can be exercised 
at nominal ordinary share value (0.001p).

Valuation of share options
The fair value of options subject to non-market-based vesting conditions was measured using a Black Scholes model and those 
options with market-based conditions using a Monte Carlo simulation model.

The fair value of the outstanding options without performance conditions was measured using the Black Scholes options 
valuation model. The inputs to that model in respect of the share options outstanding under each issue as at 31 August 2019 
and 31 August 2018 were as follows:

70

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
25. Share options continued
Valuation of share options continued

Grant month

Weighted average share price

Weighted average exercise price

Expected volatility

Weighted average risk free rate

Expected dividend yield

Weighted average option life (years)

Weighted average fair value at date of grant

Grant month

Weighted average share price

Weighted average exercise price

Expected volatility

Weighted average risk free rate

Expected dividend yield

Weighted average option life (years)

Weighted average fair value at date of grant

Grant month

Weighted average share price

Weighted average exercise price

Expected volatility

Weighted average risk free rate

Expected dividend yield

Weighted average option life (years)

Weighted average fair value at date of grant

Grant month

Weighted average share price

Weighted average exercise price

Expected volatility

Weighted average risk free rate

Expected dividend yield

Weighted average option life (years)

Weighted average fair value at date of grant

EMI

January
2013

£3.31

£3.31

72%

1.00%

—

5

£1.94

EMI

EMI

May
2014

£3.31

£3.31

58%

1.56%

—

4

£1.52

CSOP

EMI

EMI

December
2015

December
2015

£4.50

£4.50

72%

1.20%

—

5

£5.00

£4.50

58%

0.51%

—

4

£2.65

£2.38

MIP

CSOP

December
2015

August
2017

December
2017

£6.00

£4.50

42%

0.21%

—

3

£2.36

CSOP

May
2018

£1.35

£1.35

30%

0.63%

—

5

£6.00

£6.00

72%

0.44%

—

5

£3.49

CSOP

£1.43

£0.001

30%

0.56%

—

3

£1.42

CSOP

£0.91

£0.91

30%

0.99%

—

5

£0.87

£0.87

30%

0.99%

—

5

£0.86

£0.90

£0.86

CSOP

CSOP

CSOP

November
2018

December
2018

January
2019

£0.75

£0.75

30%

0.99%

—

5

£0.35

£0.35

30%

0.99%

—

5

£0.44

£0.44

30%

0.99%

—

5

March
2018

£1.60

£1.60

30%

0.60%

—

5

£1.29

CSOP

£0.64

£0.64

30%

0.99%

—

5

£0.64

CSOP

April
2019

£0.66

£0.66

30%

0.60%

—

5

August
2018

September
2018

November
2018

£0.74

£0.35

£0.44

£0.63

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

71

Financial StatementsNotes to the Financial Statements continued

25. Share options continued
Valuation of share options continued

Grant month

Weighted average share price

Weighted average exercise price

Expected volatility

Weighted average risk free rate

Expected dividend yield

Weighted average option life (years)

Weighted average fair value at date of grant

COSP

June
2019

£0.89

£0.89

30%

COSP

July
2019

£1.18

£1.18

30%

COSP

August
2019

£1.19

£1.19

30%

0.60%

0.40%

0.33%

—

5

—

5

—

5

MIP

June
2019

£0.34

£0.001

30%

0.95%

—

3

£0.85

£1.02

£0.96

£0.34

The fair value of the outstanding options with performance conditions was measured using the Monte Carlo simulation model. 
The inputs to that model in respect of the share options outstanding under each issue as at the year ended 31 August 2019 
and 31 August 2018 were as follows:

Grant month

Weighted average share price

Weighted average exercise price

Expected volatility

Weighted average risk free rate

Expected dividend yield

Weighted average option life (years)

Weighted average fair value at date of grant

Grant month

Weighted average share price

Weighted average exercise price

Expected volatility

Weighted average risk free rate

Expected dividend yield

Weighted average option life (years)

Weighted average fair value at date of grant

MIP

April
2018

£1.15

£0.001

30%

0.56%

—

3

MIP

MIP

September
2018

November
2018

£0.30

£0.001

30%

0.78%

—

3

£0.29

£0.001

30%

0.78%

—

3

£0.39

£0.09

£0.09

MIP

December
2017

£1.43

£0.001

30%

0.56%

—

3

£0.49

MIP

June
2019

£0.98

£0.001

30%

0.54%

—

3

£0.82

The share price volatility fluctuated for the different share option schemes due to different years that apply to each of the schemes 
in existence. The risk-free rate is based on the average Bank of England base rate in the year. 

Expected share price volatility is based on similar listed entities and varies due to the different years that apply to each of the schemes 
in existence. 

72

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS26. Operating leases
Lessee
The Group operates from various leased properties around the world. The terms of property leases vary from location to location.

The Group had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating and finance leases.

Operating lease rental

Future commitments
Within one year

Between two and five years

Within one year

In two to five years

2019
£’000

4,110

3,169

4,379

7,548

2019
£’000

30

2

32

2018
£’000

3,853

2,832

6,327

9,159

2018
£’000

64

32

96

27. Capital commitments
At 31 August 2019 the Group had no material capital commitments (2018: £nil).

28. Financial instruments and financial risk management
Financial instruments – Group
The Group’s principal financial liabilities comprise trade and other payables and borrowings. The primary purpose of these financial 
liabilities is to finance the operations. The Group has trade and other receivables and cash that derive directly from its operations.

Financial assets

Cash at banks and on hand – unrestricted

Cash at banks and on hand – restricted

Trade and other receivables

Financial liabilities

Trade and other payables

Finance lease obligations

2019
£’000

12,100

241

7,695

2019
£’000

6,512

32

2018
£’000

20,411

248

6,227

2018
£’000

4,922

96

The Directors consider that the carrying amount for all financial assets and liabilities approximates to their fair value.

Financial instruments – Company
The Company has limited financial liabilities as its primary purpose is to hold investments in other Group companies. The Company’s 
receivables largely relate to its funding of the operations of the Group.

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

73

Financial Statements 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements continued

28. Financial instruments and financial risk management continued
Financial instruments – Company continued
Financial assets

Cash at bank and on hand – unrestricted

Loan to other Group companies

Trade and other receivables

Financial liabilities

Amounts due to Group undertakings

Trade and other payables

2019
£’000

81

—

—

2019
£’000

25

88

2018
£’000

11,491

25,408

5

2018
£’000

—

118

The Directors consider that the carrying amount for all financial assets and liabilities approximates to their fair value.

Financial risk management
The Company is exposed to market risk, which includes interest rate risk and currency risk, credit risk and liquidity risk. The senior 
management oversees the management of these risks and ensures that the financial risk taken is governed by appropriate policies 
and procedures and that financial risks are identified, measured and managed in accordance with the Group’s policies and risk appetite.

The Board of Directors reviews and agrees the policies for managing each of these risks, which are summarised below:

Market risk
The Group’s activities expose it primarily to the financial risks of changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates.

Foreign currency risk management
The Group is exposed to transactional and translation exchange risk. Transactional foreign exchange risk arises from sales or 
purchases by a Group company in a currency other than that company’s functional currency. Translation foreign exchange risk 
arises on the translation of profits earned in Euros, US Dollars, Swiss Francs, Brazilian Real and Japanese Yen to Sterling and 
the translation of net assets denominated in Euros, US Dollars, Swiss Francs, Brazilian Real and Japanese Yen to Sterling, the 
Group’s functional currency.

Each of the companies in the Group trades almost exclusively in its functional currency, minimising transactional foreign exchange risk.

Year ended 31 August 2018
Average rate

Year-end spot rate

Year ended 31 August 2019
Average rate

Year-end spot rate

EUR 1

USD 1

CHF 1

JPY 1

BRL 1

 1.13 

 1.12 

 1.13 

 1.11 

 1.35 

 1.29 

 1.28 

 1.22 

 1.31 

 1.27 

 148.66 

 142.87 

 1.27 

 1.20 

 141.56 

 129.20 

 4.62 

 5.04 

 4.95 

 5.04 

Foreign currency sensitivity analysis
The following table details the Group’s sensitivity to a 5% decrease in Great British Pounds against the relevant foreign currencies 
which the Directors believe could have the most significant impact on the performance of the Group. 5% is the sensitivity rate 
used when reporting foreign currency risk internally to key management personnel and represents management’s assessment 
of the reasonably possible change in foreign exchange rates.

For a 5% strengthening of GBP against the relevant currency there would be a comparable impact on the profit and other equity, 
in the opposite direction.

74

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS28. Financial instruments and financial risk management continued
Foreign currency sensitivity analysis continued

Euros

US Dollars

Swiss Francs

Japanese Yen

Brazilian Real

Profit or loss

2019
£’000

(10)

(681)

(119)

(188)

98

(900)

2018
£’000

(27)

(413)

(138)

(165)

45

(698)

Interest rate risk
Interest rate risk is the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of changes 
in market interest rates. The Group accepts the risk of losing interest on deposits due to interest rate reductions. Any interest 
charged on outstanding loan notes is at fixed rates.

The Directors do not believe the interest rate risk to be material and therefore no sensitivity analysis has been prepared.

Credit risk
Credit risk is the risk that a counterparty will not meet its obligations under a financial instrument or customer contract, leading 
to a financial loss. The Group is exposed to credit risk from its operating activities (primarily for trade receivables) and from its 
financing activities, including cash deposits with banks and financial institutions.

Trade receivables
Customer credit risk is managed subject to the Group’s established policy, procedures and control relating to customer credit 
risk management. Outstanding receivables are regularly monitored and discussed at executive management and Board level.

The requirement for impairment is analysed at each reporting date. The calculation is based on actual incurred historical data. 
The maximum exposure to credit risk at the reporting date is the carrying value of each class of financial assets disclosed above. 
The Company does not hold collateral as security. The Company evaluates the concentration of risk with respect to trade receivables 
as low as receivables are principally with large financial institutions.

Financial instruments and cash deposits
Credit risk from cash balances with banks and financial institutions is managed in accordance with the Company’s policy. 
Credit risk with respect to cash is managed by carefully selecting the institutions with which cash is deposited.

Liquidity risk
The Group is not currently cash generative; however, funds were raised as part of the IPO in 2018. In addition, the funds generated 
by operating activities are managed to fund short-term working capital requirements. The Board carefully monitors the levels of 
cash and is comfortable that it has sufficient cash for normal operating requirements. The Group currently holds no committed 
lines of credit.

The following table details the Group’s remaining contractual maturity for its financial liabilities based on undiscounted 
contractual payments:

At 31 August 2018
Trade and other payables

Finance lease obligations

At 31 August 2019
Trade and other payables

Finance lease obligations

Within 1 year
£’000

1 to 2 years
£’000

2 to 5 years
£’000

Total
£’000

 10,027 

 64 

12,745

30

 — 

 32 

—

2

 — 

 — 

—

—

 10,027 

 96 

12,745

32

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

75

Financial StatementsNotes to the Financial Statements continued

28. Financial instruments and financial risk management continued
Capital risk management
The Group manages its capital to ensure that it will be able to continue as a going concern while also maximising the operating 
potential of the business. The capital structure of the Group consists of cash and cash equivalents and equity attributable to 
equity holders of the Company, comprising issued capital, reserves and retained earnings as disclosed in the consolidated 
statement of changes in equity. The Group is not subject to externally imposed capital requirements.

29. Financial instruments carried at fair value
Financial instruments carried at fair value are measured by reference to the following fair value hierarchy prescribed by IFRS 13:

 > level 1: quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
 > level 2: inputs other than quoted prices included within level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly 

(i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices); and

 > level 3: inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs).
Derivative financial instruments are carried at fair value and measured under the level 3 valuation method. The fair value charge 
to profit or loss on the convertible loan note for the year ended 31 August 2019 is £nil (2018: £0.2m).

30. Events after the balance sheet date
There are no significant events to report after the balance sheet date.

31. Key management personnel

Short-term employee benefits

Post-employment benefits

Share based payments – expense 

Share-based payments – gain on the exercise of share options during year

2019
£’000

1,627

41

177

—

1,845

2018
£’000

1,268

19

181

2,476

3,944

Remuneration of key management personnel
The remuneration of key management personnel, including Directors, is set out above in aggregate for each of the categories 
specified in IAS 24 “Related Party Disclosures”. Key management personnel comprise the Directors of the Company, and senior 
staff with management responsibilities across the entire Group.

32. Related party transactions
Other than the related party transactions described above, there were no further related party transactions in the year to disclose.

33. Controlling party
In the opinion of the Directors, there is no one ultimate controlling party.

76

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCorporate Information

REGISTERED OFFICE
Floor 2 
355 Euston Road 
London 
NW1 3AL 

COMPANY WEBSITE
www.tenlifestylegroup.com

COMPANY SECRETARY
Keziah Watt

ADVISERS
Nominated Adviser and Broker
Peel Hunt LLP
Moor House 
120 London Wall 
London 
EC2Y 5ET

Legal Adviser to the Company
Memery Crystal LLP
165 Fleet Street 
London 
EC4A 2DY

AUDITOR
BDO LLP
55 Baker Street 
London 
W1U 7EU

CORPORATE PR
Tavistock Communications
No 1, Cornhill 
London  
EC3V 3ND

Ten Lifestyle Group Plc’s commitment to environmental 
issues is reflected in this Annual Report, which has been 
printed on Garda silk, an FSC® certified material.

This document was printed by Proco using its environmental 
print technology, which minimises the impact of printing on 
the environment, with 99% of dry waste diverted from landfill. 
Both the printer and the paper mill are registered to ISO 14001.

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Ten Lifestyle Group Plc 

2nd Floor, Fitzroy House  
355 Euston Road  
London NW1 3AL 
United Kingdom

www.tenlifestylegroup.com