Josephine Fairley

Leaving school at 16 with six ‘O’ Levels, through hard work and determination Josephine Fairley went on to become the UK’s youngest-ever magazine editor, setting out on her entrepreneurial journey in 1991 when she co-founded Green & Black’s Chocolate, now approaching a £100 million a year brand.

For over twenty years she has conducted keynote talks internationally. Josephine Fairley is one of the UK’s leading motivational speakers, sharing the inspirational story of Green & Black’s and sharing her business insights with audiences from financial institutions to FTSE 100 companies, universities and more across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and USA. Jo believes in offering the very highest level of service to a client, as a speaker.

She likes to work closely with speaking clients to deliver the message which will most resonate with their audience, focusing on the lessons from the Green & Black’s journey which are most appropriate for any specific event – from an entrepreneurial slant, as a woman in business to an ethical and environmental angle, CSR, branding – or simply the extraordinary rollercoaster journey of Green & Black’s from a Portobello Road bedroom to a global ethical brand.

The first-ever product to carry the UK Fairtrade Mark, for the past nine years, Green & Black’s has the ‘coolest food brand’ in Britain (according to the Cool Brands Survey), and now a $100 million a year brand.

She is an award-winning author & journalist, Jo is author of a series best-selling books on health and beauty and is a regular columnist, feature-writer and journalist for the world’s leading magazines. Still a working journalist, Jo has written for a wide range of newspapers and magazines from The Times to The Mail on Sunday’s YOU Magazine, and as a ‘Wonder Woman’ business guru for Telegraph Woman Online.

Jo is also in demand as a brand consultant, alongside her own ventures which have included an organic bakery and natural food store and a nine-room wellbeing centre in her home town of Hastings. Most recently, she created and launched The Perfume Society, which works with the fragrance industry seeking to improve individuals’ sense of smell in a pleasurable and engaging way.

Themes: Leadership | Entrepreneurship – Growing and Building a Business | Marketing – The Power of Branding | Environment | Motivation | Women In Business