- Isembard, the manufacturing company, has appointed a senior executive with global franchise experience to scale its commercial expansion across the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, and new markets.
- Pip has executive experience from McDonald's, KFC, Yum! Brands and Gong Cha.
- Isembard has grown from four factories to 16 already in 2026
- Isembard combines precision manufacturing, Mason OS, its agentic operating system, and franchisee factory ownership to rapidly expand component manufacturing capacity for aerospace, defence, robotics, and energy.
Credit: Isembard
Pip McKenzie, Chief Commercial Officer at Isembard,
Isembard, the manufacturing company, has appointed Pip McKenzie as Chief Commercial Officer. She will lead the next phase of growth for its manufacturing franchise network across all markets. McKenzie brings deep experience from some of the world's most recognised franchised brands, including McDonald's, KFC, Yum! Brands and Gong Cha. Previously at Gong Cha, McKenzie delivered record transactional growth with master franchise agreements in 21 new countries and 3 US states.
As Chief Commercial Officer, she will lead the development of Isembard's franchise platform internationally, establishing the partnerships, systems and the commercial framework needed to scale the network while maintaining world-class operational standards.
Isembard is the only manufacturer to operate a factory franchise model. Owners run their own factory, while Isembard provides customer contracts, training, and MasonOS, its agentic operating system, which handles setup, quoting, scheduling, supply chain, production, quality control, and delivery. Franchising opens ownership to individuals who have the drive to run their own business but not the systems to do it alone. It has also drawn owners from well beyond traditional routes, including veterans, tech workers and successful multi-brand franchisees.
The franchising model has played a key role in Isembard’s growth: 16 factories are now trading, up from four at the start of 2026, including its new global headquarters and factory in Southwark, central London - the largest factory to open in the capital since the Second World War. Isembard is targeting 100 owned and franchisee factories across the UK alone by the end of 2028, a programme expected to create 2,200 high-skilled jobs.
Pip McKenzie, Chief Commercial Officer at Isembard, said: “Re-industrialising the West is one of the defining opportunities of our generation. It requires a scalable model that enables exceptional operators to build world-class manufacturing businesses. By combining precision manufacturing expertise, proprietary Mason OS software and a proven franchise system, Isembard has created exactly that. I am joining to accelerate Isembard's expansion across the UK, Europe and North America and help redefine how advanced manufacturing scales globally.”
Alexander Fitzgerald, Founder and CEO of Isembard, said: “We are building a generational business. We therefore need generational talent. Pip's experience working for some of the world's most successful franchisors provides us with the expertise to support the next phase of growth. We’ll soon Pip all other franchise systems to the post!”