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On Thursday 12 November 2026, Our Co-founder & CEO will be joining the speakers at the Invest in Croydon Conference 2026 at TBXH, Sunley House, Croydon. Max has been invited to contribute to Croydon Secret Sauce, a lunchtime fireside chat about the people, experiences and businesses that give this borough its character.
We're genuinely chuffed. And, if I'm being entirely truthful, a little humbled.
I'm not a property developer or economist. I'm an Argentine entrepreneur who built a career in hospitality and now runs a food business from Croydon. Perhaps that's why this invitation means so much.
An invitation that made me reflect
When the conference organisers approached me, they spoke about Casa Argentina's growth, our commitment to customer service and how we share Argentine culture with people across Britain.
My first thought wasn't about speaking on stage. It was about everyone who helped us get here: customers, colleagues, suppliers and family.
No business is built by one person. And no entrepreneur gets everything right.
There have been setbacks and days when the most important thing was simply to keep our word. That's the story I'd like to share: an honest one.
From an entrepreneurial teenager in Argentina to building a life in Britain
My entrepreneurial journey began in Argentina when I was 17 years old. I had no master plan, only curiosity, determination and a belief in hard work.
In 1998, I arrived in the UK. New country, new language, no guarantees.
Hospitality became my classroom. I worked my way through the industry, including as a Head Chef, and eventually became Director of Operations of a steakhouse chain. Those years taught me to lead, handle pressure, understand customers and take responsibility.
Eventually, the desire to build something of my own brought me back to entrepreneurship.
That journey led to Casa Argentina, the business I co-founded to connect two places that matter deeply to me: Argentina, where my story began, and Britain, where I built my life.
Why should a food business have a voice at an investment conference?
Because regeneration isn't only about new buildings, major projects and impressive investment figures.
The official programme covers transport, infrastructure, regeneration, employment and skills. But a thriving economy also depends on smaller businesses that employ people, serve customers and take risks.
We know what it means to plan ahead, manage costs, recruit people, keep promises and create opportunities. We know that practical support matters more than promises.
A borough becomes stronger when its established businesses can grow and its next generation of entrepreneurs can get started. I hope that perspective will be useful alongside the investment discussions.
Three speakers whose perspectives matter to this conversation
Three speakers in this varied programme particularly caught my attention.
Mayor Jason Perry: turning Croydon's ambitions into action
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon, is scheduled to deliver the keynote From Opportunity to Delivery. That title gets straight to something business owners understand: a vision only matters when it turns into action. I hope the day explores how the borough's ambitions translate into practical benefits for local businesses and communities.
Pierre-Hugues Schmit: investment, skills and international connections
Pierre-Hugues Schmit, Chief Executive of London Gatwick, will speak about investment, skills and employability in the region. For a business rooted in one borough yet connected to international suppliers and customers across Britain, that relationship between local enterprise and wider connectivity is especially interesting.
Colin Francis: another perspective on purpose-led enterprise
Colin Francis, CEO and co-founder of LabCycle, is named in the lunchtime Croydon Secret Sauce programme. His work on recycling laboratory plastic waste brings a different entrepreneurial perspective to the discussion. Different industries; a shared interest in purposeful business.
I'm looking forward to listening as much as speaking. For the full programme and latest speakers, see the official Invest in Croydon Conference website.
Customer service: the part of our business that matters most
In September 2026, I was honoured to receive the Most Inspiring Entrepreneur of the Year 2026 award at the National Entrepreneur Awards in Birmingham. In 2025, Casa Argentina won the Best Customer Service award at the same national awards, and we were finalists again in 2026.
Awards matter, but they don't pack orders or resolve mistakes.
Our guiding principle at Casa Argentina is simple: Please Make Me Feel Special. We ask ourselves how someone will feel when they visit our website, contact the team or open one of our boxes. And we try to remember that every order belongs to a person with plans, expectations and a story of their own.
We aren't perfect; taking responsibility matters.
It's an approach that applies to every business, whatever it sells.
Businesses can be a force for good
There is one message I would particularly like to bring to Croydon Secret Sauce.
As entrepreneurs, we have a wonderful opportunity to use our businesses as a force for good, by doing things with genuine purpose.
It starts with giving someone a chance, treating suppliers fairly, helping customers and creating a respectful workplace.
Profit matters. Without a healthy business, we can't keep serving customers or supporting our teams. But profit and purpose shouldn't be enemies. A business can be commercially ambitious and still care deeply about how it achieves its results.
For me, success isn't only about what we build. It's about what becomes possible for others because we built it.
In Croydon's next chapter, I want to see...
a borough where entrepreneurship is encouraged, smaller businesses are genuinely listened to and people from every background feel they have a fair chance to turn an idea into something meaningful.
I want young people to see business ownership as a possibility. I want growing companies to find the skills, relationships and practical support they need. And I want the people shaping Croydon's future to remember that regeneration is ultimately about people, not just places.
Croydon's future should be shaped with the people who live and work here.
That's the conversation I'm excited to join on 12 November.
Frequently asked questions
Is Max Pistone speaking at Invest in Croydon Conference 2026?
Yes. Maximiliano (Max) Pistone, Co-founder and CEO of Casa Argentina Limited, has accepted an invitation to take part in the Croydon Secret Sauce lunchtime fireside chat on Thursday 12 November 2026.
Where and when is Invest in Croydon Conference 2026?
The conference takes place on Thursday 12 November 2026 at TBXH, Sunley House, 4 Bedford Park, Croydon. The lunchtime programme, including Croydon Secret Sauce, runs from 12:25 to 14:00. See the official event programme for the latest details.
What does Casa Argentina sell in the UK?
Casa Argentina supplies authentic Argentine and South American food and drink, including Argentine beef, chorizo, empanadas, dulce de leche, yerba mate, alfajores and products for the traditional Argentine asado. It serves home customers alongside restaurants, caterers, foodservice businesses and wholesale buyers. Explore Casa Argentina's UK online shop.
Where is Casa Argentina located?
Casa Argentina Limited operates from Unit 3, 77 Sumner Road, Croydon, CR0 3LN, United Kingdom, serving customers throughout its UK delivery area. See our contact page for opening hours, contact details and delivery information.
A final thought
If I could share just one idea on 12 November, it would be this: a successful borough needs successful businesses, but it also needs businesses that care about the borough and its people.
I feel grateful to be invited. I'll arrive ready to share what I've learnt, hear what others have experienced and hopefully contribute something useful to Croydon's next chapter.
Because the best kind of growth isn't simply bigger. It's growth that makes life better for someone else.
Maximiliano (Max) Pistone is Co-founder and CEO of Casa Argentina Limited, a Croydon-based specialist importer, retailer and distributor of Argentine food and drink.