About Jo

As well as being a partner in the fds group I am also the Head of Corporate Finance for MGR, an accountancy and financial management firm with offices in London and the North of England.

fds is my successful training and consultancy organisation founded in 1989 when things were looking bleak just as they are now; this of course gives me real life practical experience to understand the current market.

I believe I have succeeded because I am experienced dealmaker, and I specialise in putting together the right deal, at the right time, and in the right format for growing businesses throughout the country.

Over my career I have bought and sold over 300 companies, specialising in owner managed companies, indeed unlike many practitioners I have sold 3 of my own. I have held, and hold, numerous Non-Executive Roles in companies across the region and helped many businesses through successful transactions.

I still make time to help those who helped me and am a Visiting Fellow at Leeds University where I deliver the Corporate Governance development programme for all academic staff wishing to hive off new companies, in addition to training and developing non-executive directors appointed to University Companies whose role is to represent University interests.

I mentor for Enterprise Challenge undergraduates at Sheffield Hallam University and MAD women (a mentoring competition organised through Fresh Ideas Events and will provide my experience and knowledge as part of the training process.

If you are still in doubt here a some of my awards / titles / achievements to date:

Short listed to final 3 stage in the Women of the Future Awards – Mentor of the Year category 2009.
Winner of IoD Business Advisor of the Year 2009 and 2006.
Nominated for Financial News’ Top 100 Most Influential Women in Finance 2009.
Entered into the 2008 edition of "Who’s Who of Britain’s Business Elite".
Short-listed finalist in the First Women CBI Awards 2007, in the Finance category.
Voted 'Star Speaker' and 'Outperforming Speaker' at the Vistage Annual Speakers Awards 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005.
An Ambassador for Huddersfield along with Joanne Harris.
IoD Yorkshire & Humber Business Advisor of the Year – awarded September 2006 and nominated for Non-Executive Director, the only woman to be nominated in either category. I was also short listed for this award in 2008.
Selected as a ‘woman of achievement’ at the prestigious Women of the Year lunch by Good Housekeeping Magazine, which brings together outstanding women from all walks of life.
One of the first corporate financiers in the country to receive the new qualification based on my past experience alone. The prestigious advanced diploma in corporate finance was awarded by the Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales.
Recipient of a 2006 Woman of Achievement Award by the American Biographical Institute.
'Star Speaker' and ‘Most Frequently Demanded’ speaker at the TEC International (now Vistage) Annual Speaker Awards Ceremony in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. In addition, I am one of only 4 speakers who have achieved a perfect 100% with a TEC Group in 2007.
Yorkshire Businesswoman of the Year 2005 awarded at The Business Awards 2005. I was also short listed for this award in 2008.

My first book, The Business Rules, published 2005 and 2006, has been such a success that a foreign rights deal has been confirmed with a publisher in China. My second book, An Entrepreneur’s guide, was published in March 2007 and my third book, Tales from the Glass Ceiling - A Survival Guide for Women in Business, was published in June 2008 and sold out of its first reprint after 5 days, it was the number 3 best selling business book in 2008.