L'Express Franchise UK invites you to their event
About this event
October 22, 2026 • 11:00 a.m. CT / 5:00 p.m. UK time • Live B2B webinar
L’EXPRESS FRANCHISE USA
Someday, every franchise brand changes hands. When it does, the new owner inherits far more than a logo. They take on a network of franchisees, decades of habits, and a promise to customers that can’t be broken.
That raises two questions:
How do you finance the buyout of an established franchise? And how do you modernize and grow it without breaking what made it work?
Arthur Murray Dance Studios just went through it. In 2024, after more than a century, the brand changed hands through a UK-based management buyout led by Gary Edwards. Gary is a world champion dancer who spent 20 years as the brand’s global ambassador, and today he is its CEO and owner.
On October 22, Gary is joined by Jodi Bartin, CEO of Citicourt & Co., the advisory firm behind the deal. They’ll give a firsthand account of the buyout: how it was financed, the decisions and trade-offs along the way, and what comes next.
How the MBO was structured and funded, and Citicourt’s role in bringing the right parties to the table.
Why Gary bought the brand he once represented, and what he saw in the opportunity.
What shifts when a century-old franchise comes under new ownership, and what must stay untouched.
Gary’s approach to guiding franchisees, studio owners, and local partners through the transition.
UK expansion plans, and opportunities for franchisors, operators, and master franchisees in the UK, the US, and international markets.
Gary Edwards: Chief Executive Officer & Partner, Arthur Murray International Inc.
Gary is a world champion dancer and international judge. He spent 20 years as Arthur Murray’s global brand ambassador, has judged more than 60 World Championships, and has taught dance to Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and the Sultan of Brunei. In 2024, he led the management buyout that brought Arthur Murray International under new ownership.
Jodi Bartin: CEO, Citicourt & Co.
Jodi leads Citicourt & Co., the advisory firm that structured and supported the buyout and brought together the parties behind Arthur Murray’s new chapter.
A change of ownership is one of the defining moments in a franchise’s life, and you rarely get to see one from the inside.
📅 October 22, 2026 • 11:00 a.m. CT / 5:00 p.m. UK time
Registration is free. Sign up now to get your access link and ask Gary your questions live.
[Save My Spot]
Hosted by
L’Express Franchise UK is the European leading digital platform helping franchisors attract high-quality, pre-qualified candidates through strategic content, data-driven visibility and expert industry insight.
