World Franchise Congress 2026 panel highlights why choosing the right local leaders has become the defining factor in global franchise success
For decades, franchise expansion was largely viewed as a formula-driven exercise: identify attractive markets, replicate a proven model, and scale through local operators. Today, however, global franchise leaders are increasingly discovering that sustainable international growth depends on something far less formulaic; the quality of local partnerships.
As brands expand across increasingly diverse markets, local franchisees are no longer seen merely as operators responsible for executing a system. They have become strategic partners who bring invaluable insights into customer behaviour, regulatory environments, cultural nuances, talent availability, and local market dynamics.
This shift formed the core of discussions during the third session of the virtual World Franchise Congress (WFC) 2026, held on May 28. Titled “The Partnership Layer: How Global Brands Select and Enable the Right Local Leaders,” the session brought together senior franchise executives, consultants, operators, and investors to examine one of the most critical, and often underestimated, drivers of international franchise success.
The panel was moderated by Jolanta Browne, Director of Franchise Partnerships at Yo! Sushi, and featured Stuart Symes, SVP Franchise Operations West, East & Central Europe at Accor; Mark Holland, Managing Director of BODYSTREET UK; Andrew Hulbert, Managing Director of Bee Smart Consultancy; Phil MacKechnie, Director of Franchise Development at Radfield Home Care; and Ishita Pathak, Managing Director of Invalleon.
Collectively, the speakers offered a compelling conclusion: while brands can provide systems, processes, technology, and reputation, long-term success ultimately rests on the strength of the people chosen to represent those brands locally.
Franchise Growth Is No Longer a One-Way Conversation
Opening the discussion, Jolanta Browne challenged a mindset that still exists in parts of the franchise industry, the belief that franchisors always possess the best understanding of how a business should operate.
“Franchisors often believe they have the best understanding of the business, but listening to franchisees is equally important. In many cases, franchise partners have far deeper local market knowledge and firsthand understanding of customer behaviour. The strongest franchise systems are built through collaboration, not one-way decision-making.”
Her comments reflected a broader evolution in franchising. As brands enter more culturally and economically diverse markets, the traditional top-down approach is increasingly giving way to collaborative models where local franchisees play an active role in shaping market strategies.
Rather than simply executing corporate playbooks, successful franchise partners are becoming co-creators of growth, helping brands adapt to local realities while preserving the integrity of the franchise system.
Stuart Symes: Scalability Only Works When Partnerships Work
Building on this theme, Stuart Symes of Accor argued that the true power of franchising lies in its ability to scale across geographies, but scalability can only be achieved when strong partnerships underpin expansion efforts.
“Franchising is fundamentally about scalability, the ability to grow successfully across countries and continents while creating strong returns for both the brand and its partners. But sustainable growth only happens when franchisors genuinely listen to their partners, understand local realities, and build the business collaboratively.”
Drawing from Accor’s extensive international footprint, Symes emphasized that local partners are often best positioned to identify emerging opportunities, navigate market-specific challenges, and help global brands adapt without compromising their core value proposition.
His perspective reinforced a growing consensus across international franchising: growth is most sustainable when franchisors and franchisees operate as aligned business partners rather than separate stakeholders.
Mark Holland: Consistency Remains the Foundation of International Expansion
While localization featured prominently throughout the discussion, Mark Holland cautioned that successful adaptation should never come at the expense of brand consistency.
Sharing BODYSTREET UK’s market-entry journey, Holland explained how the German EMS fitness brand chose to first establish and operate its own studio in Milton Keynes before pursuing broader expansion.
The objective was simple: validate market demand, understand local consumer behaviour, and determine whether the German operating model could be successfully replicated in the UK.
“We initially set up a studio in the UK to understand whether the concept and market synergy would truly work locally. For us, the biggest learning was that successful international expansion is all about consistency, delivering the same customer experience, operational standards, and brand values across every studio. Once we replicated the proven German model correctly in the UK, we saw that the system could translate successfully across markets.”
His experience highlighted an important reality for global brands: before adapting a concept, they must first prove that the core model can be consistently delivered. Localization can enhance a business, but consistency remains the foundation upon which international scalability is built.
Ishita Pathak: True Localization Happens at the Hyperlocal Level
Offering an investor and market-entry perspective, Ishita Pathak stressed that localization goes far beyond understanding a country or region.
According to Pathak, franchise success is increasingly determined by a brand’s ability to understand the micro-dynamics of individual neighbourhoods, trade areas, and customer segments.
“Local market knowledge is not just about understanding a country on paper, it’s about knowing which business model works in which locality. A QSR may succeed in an office district, while a dine-in concept may work better in a family residential area. True localization comes from understanding consumer behaviour at a hyperlocal level.”
Her observations underscored how franchise expansion has become significantly more sophisticated. Market selection is no longer simply about choosing cities or countries, it is about identifying the right locations, demographics, and consumption patterns within those markets.
For international brands, this level of insight often comes only through experienced local partners with deep on-the-ground knowledge.
Andrew Hulbert: The Wrong Partner Can Set a Brand Back Years
One of the strongest messages of the session came from franchise consultant Andrew Hulbert, who warned against prioritizing short-term franchise sales over long-term strategic fit.
“I see too many franchise networks going for the franchise fee and not recruiting the right franchise partners. The selection process is vital. You have to find people who genuinely fit the brand because taking on the wrong partners can stall growth for years.”
Hulbert argued that many franchisors remain overly focused on expansion speed, often overlooking the long-term consequences of poor partner selection.
He also highlighted another common mistake, granting excessively large territories too early in a market’s development.
“I often see franchisors making the mistake of giving away territories that are far too large in the early stages of expansion. The challenge is that once territorial rights are granted, it becomes extremely difficult to take them back later. Franchisors need to strike the right balance-giving franchisees enough opportunity to grow, while still retaining flexibility and long-term strategic control of the market.”
His remarks served as a reminder that international growth is not simply about signing agreements; it is about building structures that remain viable years into the future.
Phil MacKechnie: Shared Values Matter as Much as Financial Strength
Adding a people-centric perspective, Phil MacKechnie argued that financial capability should never be the sole criterion when evaluating franchise candidates.
Particularly in sectors such as healthcare and home care, where customer trust and service quality are paramount, leadership qualities and cultural alignment often matter more than balance sheets.
“Leadership among franchise partners is absolutely critical, it’s non-negotiable. In sectors like care services, franchisees must genuinely want to make a positive difference in the lives of their clients. Strong franchise systems are ultimately built on trust, shared values, and a real commitment to people.”
His comments highlighted a broader trend across franchising: the most successful franchisees are not necessarily those with the deepest pockets, but those who genuinely believe in the brand’s mission and possess the leadership capability to build strong local teams.
Partnership Has Become the New Competitive Advantage
Taken together, the discussion revealed a fundamental shift in how global franchise expansion is being approached.
Brands may still provide the framework, proven business models, operational systems, technology platforms, training programmes, and brand equity, but the ability to translate those assets into sustainable local success increasingly rests with franchise partners.
The strongest franchise systems are no longer built solely on control and standardisation. They are built on trust, collaboration, mutual accountability, and the ability to combine global expertise with local intelligence.
For companies pursuing international growth, the message from World Franchise Congress 2026 was unmistakable: market selection remains important, but partner selection is becoming even more critical.
As franchising continues to expand across borders and industries, the brands that thrive will be those that view franchisees not simply as operators, but as long-term strategic partners capable of unlocking growth opportunities that no corporate playbook can fully anticipate.
