- Admitted to ICAEW:2011
- Joined Council:2021
- Election Constituency: Birmingham and West Midlands
Biography
Jo is an experienced Chartered Accountant with a demonstrated 13-year history of working in both practice and industry.
As a Maths Graduate from the University of Nottingham, Jo completed her ACA accountancy graduate scheme with PwC in Birmingham where she received exposure to a variety of business sectors and gained expertise working with a diverse range of clients from owner-manged businesses to quoted PLC's. Client sectors included FTSE 350 companies, pension schemes, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and public sector.
Upon qualification Jo took a career break to travel, and at the age of 24, set up a student tour operator business called 'Travelholics' which provided guided tours for university students. The business took off when funding from a high street bank was secured upon Jo's funding proposal. After growing the business sales to £250k in the third year, with a team of over 50 reps, she sold the contracts and decided to try out a range of different contract options as a consultant before deciding to set up her own accountancy practice, Grant McKnight, in 2018 and hasn't looked back since.
Jo loves to be involved in her local community, giving back expert knowledge to business owners and contacts alike.
Jo is an active committee member of the Sutton Coldfield Chambers of Commerce and the Birmingham Chartered Accountants Student Society.
Jo was privileged to be nominated, shortlisted and finally chosen as the 'Future Face of Finance 2020' by the Future Faces Chamber of Commerce and was also shortlisted in the top 50 British Business Advisers by Enterprise Nation.
Declaration of Interests
Membership of, or interests in, formal bodies or groups, including other professional bodies
- Committee Member, Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee
- Member, Federation of Small Business (FSB)
- Member, Chamber of Commerce
- Member, Enterprise Nation
Membership of ICAEW Council, ICAEW Boards and other ICAEW Committees
- Council
- Trustee and Committee Member, Birmingham Chartered Accountant Student Society
- Committee Member, ICAEW Birmingham and West Midlands District Society
- Chair, ICAEW West Midlands Charity Meet Ups
Partnerships, Directorships or beneficial interests in any companies
- Director, Grant McKnight Services Ltd
- Director, GMK Wealth Ltd
Professional or social relationships with individuals who have business relationships or who compete with ICAEW
- My employee Lorraine Noak (Director of Strategy and Development) is a qualified member of the ACCA. We are currently in the process of obtaining her ICAEW membership and practicing certificate. Lorraine is responsible for ICAEW training within my practice apprentices.
Any other matters you feel should be identified
None
