Jo started her career in hotel management working with such market-leading businesses as Hilton and Marriott. In the 1990s she qualified as a Human Resource Manager and crossed sectors into worldwide logistics and transportation, becoming Head of Group HR with Hays Plc and Group HR Director with Tibbett and Britten. In 2004, she joined VT Plc as Group HR Director. VT was a support services company with significant, high-profile contracts from a range of sectors including defence, engineering, education and training. The company worked with both the private and public sectors worldwide, giving Jo experience of working with a wide range of government organisations and corporations.

Jo was a member of the senior executive committee at VT Plc and alongside her corporate leadership role she achieved several notable successes, including:

• Transforming the company’s approach to Talent Management and establishing a coaching culture across all business divisions
• Ensuring the retention and commitment of senior managers during a difficult period of restructuring
• Developing the Graduate Programme at VT, attracting some of the brightest and best graduates in the country and achieving a 96% retention rate over five years

“Jo changed our HR function into a value added organisation, well respected internally and externally and was a huge part of our success.

Jo brought commercial qualities to the Group HR Director position which enabled the HR people to support both the business development of the company as well as improving the efficiency of the company.

Significant improvements were made in talent management, people assessment and Jo also set-up our very successful graduate programme.

Jo successfully represented the company externally, as a senior director of the Group, at major events particularly with customers and joint venture partners.

A very focused person who was a strong member of the Group Executive Committee”

Paul Lester, Chief Executive, VT Plc