Jane Mitchell
Trustee, Trust Chair
My passion lies in ensuring that the values and ethics of an organisation are embedded in their mission and actions. I’m committed to helping companies to think beyond quarterly reporting and numbers to a broader and more meaningful purpose. I want businesses to become places where people feel valued and able to contribute.
As a non-executive director for employee engagement agency, Karian and Box, I have helped oversee growth of >£5m turnover and guided their move towards employee ownership. This experience has given me a rich understanding of the emotional shift necessary to EO and the governance structures required.
I started my career at the BBC before forming my own consultancy, JL&M Ltd., to help businesses build healthy workplace cultures. I have worked in communications and employee engagement, winning contracts with multiple FTSE 100 companies. I was a senior producer at Hawkshead (later Endemol) and have chaired various committees of the International Association of Business Communicators.
Q&A
As a woman in business, who started my career in the BBC, my inspiration was the trio of leaders that I was lucky enough to be assigned to: Patricia Vernon, the Tomorrow’s World production manager who encouraged an upstart production secretary to research and write programme items. Kenny McBain and Anthony Minghella, the indomitable duo behind Grange Hill who showed me the creative magic that comes from partnerships and collaboration. Finally, the unique Biddy Baxter, editor of Blue Peter, who taught me the values of courage and excellence.
'Where the Crawdads Sing' by Delia Owens. An unexpected story of love, hope, prejudice, resilience, courage, and the healing powers of nature. One of the books I am currently reading is 'The Anarchy. The Relentless Rise and Fall of the East India Company' by William Dalrymple. If ever there was a step-by-step guide to creating and perpetuating a hubristic, megalomaniacal, destructive company (and that’s just the start!), this is it.
Wearing cycling lycra to work and forgetting your normal clothes.
