Joanna Knight
Joanna Knight (Swash) | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joanna Kathryn Swash 9 October 1972 |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation(s) | businesswoman, CEO |
Joanna Kathryn Knight OBE (born 9 October 1972), also known as Joanna Swash, is a British businesswoman. She is the Group CEO of Moneypenny, an international business of answering services.[1][2][3]
Early life and career
[edit]Joanna Kathryn Swash was born in Wrexham, Wales and educated at Alun School, Mold, Flintshire. She started her career as an owner of a small business that sold typewriter ribbons in UK (it failed as the popularity of laser printers rose). In 2005, She joined Moneypenny, a UK-based provider of answering services, as a salesperson, becoming CEO in 2018.[4] Knight led Moneypenny into the US market, securing private equity from ECI Partners and acquiring three US businesses: VoiceNation, Alphapage, and Sunshine Communications.[5]
Knight's straight-talking and open approach earned her a place on Boris Johnson's Prime Minister's Business Council.[6]
Knight is the chairperson of Wrexham Community & Culture Trust, an independent charity based in Wrexham, established with the support of Wrexham County Borough Council.[7][8] Knight headed a consortium backing an Investment Zone for Flintshire and Wrexham[9] which received UK Government backing worth up to £160 million as well as acted as Chair of the City of Culture 2025 bid.[10]
She is the contributor for Forbes Business section [11] and Elite Business Magazine[12]
In popular culture
[edit]Knight has featured in several thought leadership books: Celebrity Service by Geoff Ramm, The Nowhere Office by Julia Hobsbawm and Employee Experience by Ben Whitter, and is a regular guest on BBC Radio 5 Live's Wake Up to Money.[13]
Awards and honours
[edit]- OBE for services to the economy in the 2024 New Year Honours[14][15][16]
- IOD Director of the Year 2022[17]
- CEO of the Year 2021 by Management Today[18]
- Women to Watch 2021 by Cranfield School of Management[19]
References
[edit]- ^ "Lessons in Leadership from Joanna Swash, group CEO of Moneypenny". Harper's BAZAAR. 3 May 2021.
- ^ "A woman of substance | Feature". Research Live. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "Joanna Swash: "The Key Is in Knowing Yourself, Your Purpose, Your Strengths, and Your Weaknesses"". Engageemployee.com.
- ^ "Moneypenny CEO: "I don't think any of us should be thinking about failure"". Managementtoday.co.uk.
- ^ "Moneypenny acquires Alphapage - ECI Partners". ECI Partners - UK private equity firm. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "PM assembles new cohort of business leaders to turbocharge UK economy". GOV.UK. 1 February 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "Wrecsam UK City of Culture Bid 2029 - Wrexham Community & Culture Trust". WRECSAM.
- ^ "#Wrecsam2029 City of Culture Bid Director appointed by Trust - Wrexham Council News". wrexham.gov.uk. 23 October 2024.
- ^ Wales, North (24 November 2023). "Investment Zone in Wrexham and Flintshire Receives Boost from Chancellor". Business News Wales. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "UK City of Culture 2025". GOV.UK. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "Joanna Knight (Swash) | Group CEO - Moneypenny". Forbes Business Council.
- ^ "Joanna Knight". Elite Business Magazine.
- ^ "Joanna Kathryn Knight OBE: Kings Honour to Extraordinary Businesswoman". Bru Times News.
- ^ "Moneypenny CEO 'surprised and honoured' to have received OBE". The Leader. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "Joanna SWASH | Order of the British Empire | The Gazette". Thegazette.co.uk.
- ^ "New Year Honours List 2024" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "Winners announced at IoD Wales' Director of the Year Awards ceremony". IOD.com.
- ^ "The most powerful thing you can say as a leader is "I don't know"". Managementtoday.co.uk.
- ^ "Women to Watch". Cranfield.ac.uk.