Just one conversation can make or break an entire career. Take Annika Bizon. She is one of Samsung’s most influential U.K. executives right now.
As vice president across the U.K. and Ireland, the 47-year-old is helping steer one of the world’s biggest technology brands through the AI boom. She also sits on Meta’s advisory board. And it all traces back to a chance encounter with a client.
Bizon’s work ethic began long before the smartphone era.
“At sixteen, my parents made it clear, if I wanted spending money, I had to earn it,” Bizon tells Fortune. It spurred her to get a job at two local shoe shops on the weekend—one selling high end footwear, the other more every day wear. “By the time summer rolled around, I’d earned enough trust that the owners left me in charge of running both,” she adds.
Not bad for a Saturday job. From there, Bizon took a business and economics degree at Aberystwyth University before moving into recruitment marketing—and it was there that she got her break.
A meeting with the CMO of Universal Pictures that was meant to be a routine conversation about outsourcing ended with a job offer she hadn’t seen coming.
What followed was nearly fifteen years scaling one of the world’s biggest entertainment companies—from the decline of physical media and the rise of streaming, to commercial director—all while building a life to match. A first London flat bought at auction for £175,000, deposit split across two credit cards. A converted barn in the countryside. A husband, two daughters, a dog named Wilbur, and skiing in Avoriaz every year. She joined Samsung in 2021 and has since collected four promotions, landing at VP—a milestone she marked the only way that felt right: a second-hand Chanel handbag she’d had her eye on for years.
Today, Bizon is at the center of arguably the biggest shift in consumer technology since the smartphone itself. Since launching in the U.K. in 2024, Samsung’s Galaxy AI has outpaced the early adoption of the internet, reaching nearly five million British users in its first year alone. Globally, it sits on 400 million devices, on track to reach 800 million by the end of this year. In February, Samsung launched the Galaxy S26 Series—its most advanced AI phone yet—and Bizon is the person making sure British consumers want one.
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Fortune’s series, The Good Life, shows how up-and-coming leaders spend their time and money outside of work.
Being in the C-suite is a high-pressure job with long hours, board responsibilities, and intense scrutiny. But what is it like to be a top executive when you’re off the clock? Here’s what she told us.
The Money
What’s been the best investment you’ve ever bought?
The best investment I ever made was my first flat in London. I bought it at auction for £175,000, put down a ten percent deposit split across two credit cards, and sold it four or five years later for around £350,000. I had nearly doubled my money in a handful of years, which felt extraordinary at the time.
And the worst?
My first car, an Austin Metro Vanden Plas, remains my worst investment. I bought it mostly for the interior but the engine fell apart within a couple of weeks. I chose style over substance, and I paid for it. The car literally became a money pit.
If you have children, what does your childcare arrangements look like? And how much does it cost each month?
My husband and I both have demanding careers, so we made a pact: whoever is at home is in charge. We have a wonderful lady who helps with the girls, and I’ve learned to let go of the guilt for not being at the school gates every day. When I’m home, I’m fully present. My girls see a hardworking, ambitious woman—and they know that their dad is equally invested, equally present, and equally proud.
What are your living arrangements like: Swanky apartment in the city or suburban sprawling?
We live in a converted barn house outside London which completely suits our lifestyle. We get the best of both worlds. I can be in London in thirty minutes on the train, but I can also step out the front door and be in the countryside with views of rolling fields and great places to walk the dog.
What’s in your wallet?
You’ll find credit cards, pictures of my girls, and a signed $100 bill from a former boss, one of the most influential leaders I have worked with. Once it is signed, you cannot spend it. I think that is the whole point. Some things are worth more kept than used and I see it like a good luck charm.
On the practical side, I am completely obsessed with Avios points. If there is a way to accumulate them, I will find it. For anyone who travels regularly, a good travel rewards card is one of the smartest decisions you can make.
What’s the cheapest purchase that’s had the biggest impact on your life?
A pair of La Sportiva walking boots. At around £150, they are without question the best money I’ve ever spent. When you are climbing mountains, what is on your feet is everything. Those boots have carried me through a 150km ultramarathon, up Mount Toubkal and across the Arctic without ever letting me down. I am training to climb the Matterhorn in them next, fully confident they’ll get me to the top.
Do you invest in shares?
Not in shares, but I do invest in property, which I would recommend as a long-term strategy. I’ve kept my flat in London even after moving to the countryside. While it’s a practical source of income and a place to stay in the city, the real motivation is my daughters. The plan has always been that when they are ready to start out in London, they have somewhere to land.
What personal finance advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
I’m a firm believer that every mistake you make in your twenties will shape how you manage money later in life. But if I could go back and change one thing, it would be this: make sure you understand how credit card interest actually works before you put a large balance on not one, but two cards.
When I bought my first flat using two credit cards, I thought I had made the deal of a lifetime. In the end, I had. But at the time I was young, I was not earning much, and carrying £17,500 in debt felt like the weight of the world. Because I was not paying it down efficiently, the stress was immense. The investment still worked out brilliantly, but a basic understanding of compound interest would have saved me a lot of sleepless nights.
The Routine
What’s the one subscription you can’t live without?
Amazon Prime, without hesitation. When you have children, life throws curveballs at you with very little notice. Whether it’s a birthday present for a party needed for tomorrow or replacement goggles for a swim lesson, Amazon Prime can quietly saves you in those moments.
How do you get your daily coffee fix?
I don’t drink coffee, I am a tea person through and through. I love a classic English breakfast tea in the morning with a splash of milk, and work my way through various herbal blends throughout the day. It is one of those small rituals that anchors the day.
What about eating on the go?
When I am in the office, I try to have lunch with the team rather than at my desk. Our days are hectic, and those lunch conversations are often the best team building moments of the week (and the Korean food at the Samsung canteen is a major perk).
On my weekly trips into London, I will grab something on the go, with Leon being a reliable and healthy favourite. If I am sitting down properly, I love Copita in Soho, a Spanish tapas place that I have been going to for years. At home, Sunday lunch at my local pub is a non-negotiable family ritual. If my girls are in charge of where we eat out, it is always Wagamama.
Where do you buy groceries?
Life at home is busy enough that the weekly shop is a team effort. We do one big weekly shop, followed by mid-week top ups for the family favourites that disappear fast.
My essentials are always fresh fruit; raspberries and watermelon in particular.
How often in a week do you dine out versus cook at home?
I usually eat out twice a week: once for a midweek business lunch, and then something at the weekend.
What’s a typical work outfit for you?
I lean toward structured and tailored clothing, a smart jacket, fitted dresses, skirts and blouses will often be paired with a good pair of smart trainers. I’m also a huge fan of a leather trouser. My go-to labels are Zadig & Voltaire and more recently Max Mara.
The Rewards
Are you the proud owner of any tech gadgets?
The Galaxy Ring is the piece of tech I recommend to almost everyone I know. At £399, this is one of the most worthwhile investments I have made. I spent years treating sleep as something that just happened to me. The Ring changed that. It tracks my sleep stages, my heart rate variability, my body battery, and gives me an energy score each morning that actually tells me something useful about how to structure my day.
How do you unwind from the top job?
I typically get home around 7 p.m., and the first thing my husband and I do is eat together and do a proper download of the day. It’s a small ritual, but a vital one. By ten o’clock I am usually exhausted. The days are full and I do not pretend otherwise.
When I do get downtime, it tends to be active. Our dog Wilbur keeps me walking. I have set myself some bigger challenges this year. I am training to climb the Matterhorn (in the Alps). I need that ‘horizon goal’ to work towards. It keeps me focused outside of work in the same way a big project does inside it.
What’s your take on work-life balance at the top?
Work-life balance is always a struggle at this level, anyone who tells you otherwise is either very lucky or not being entirely truthful. The reality is that one side usually gives a little for the other and that balance shifts at different times. I’ve learned that the key is being kind to yourself. You will not make every school play or you might take a call on a Saturday. You also might miss a work deadline for a family priority. But you have to forgive yourself rather than carry it as guilt.
What helps is being prepared for those moments before they happen. I have little hacks, like keeping a cupboard full of wrapped presents for birthday presents so I’m never caught off guard when life gets hectic.
My version of balance is about presence. When I am home, I am home. I am usually up at 6:15 a.m. and I aim to be in bed by 10:30 p.m. so I pack a lot in. In the evenings, I make sure the girls have my attention until they go to bed. If I have to, I will log on later just to get on top of things before the next day. But I try to make sure they are not constantly watching me work. That matters to me.
How do you treat yourself when you get a promotion?
It varies. Usually, it is dinner with the family—they are as invested in my milestones as I am. My girls know what I do, they understand what it takes, and celebrating together feels right.
But when I got VP, I bought myself something I had wanted for years, a second-hand Chanel handbag. It was a particular kind of milestone, the kind that does not come around often, and I wanted to mark it properly.
What’s the most expensive bonus treat you’ve bought yourself?
My husband and I went to the Six Sense in Oman after COVID-19 as a treat holiday. It was a true ‘once in a lifetime’ and memory maker. Zero regrets!
How many days annual leave do you take a year?
I take between 20 and 25 days per year, depending on my work commitments, but I am a firm believer in taking proper breaks.
Take us on holiday with you, where did you go this year?
Every year we go skiing in Avoriaz as a family. Beyond that, I always build in one adventure or physical challenge trip. Then in August, we do a proper two-week holiday to fully decompress and connect as a family. Top of my travel list right now is the Serengeti, I want to see the migration. In between, I try to fit in a long weekend with my closest girlfriends, and always get away with my mum and sister. It’s very important to me to connect with my female friends and family and keep that bond.
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
