Jo was a very well-known face in the UK print industry, following a 40-year career which started in her twenties with roles at Reed and EMAP McLaren. She held sales and leadership positions with a variety of print businesses throughout the nineties and early 2000s, including The Lettershop Group, Carlton Barclay, Z-Card, DST (later Dsicmm) and Lloyd James, putting her at the forefront of the industry’s adoption of digital colour printing. Her entrepreneurial spirit also led her to invest in several print and creative businesses of her own. For the last two decades, Jo provided strategic and team-building support to a variety of print organisations through her consultancy business, Cotmandene Training & Development.
Colleagues from Canon Europe remember Jo’s significant contribution to its Essential Business Builder Programme, which supported Canon customers to maximise the business impact of their digital technology investments. Her vast experience gave her insightful perspectives for print entrepreneurs, while her direct style and willingness to get involved with any practicality made her a valued mentor.
David Preskett, who worked with Jo over many years while at Canon, recalls: “Jo was the energy you needed in a team. When you’d done nine days’ hard work at drupa or IPEX, Jo would be smiling, laughing and lifting the team’s spirits. She was passionate about the print industry and wanted people to learn about it and enjoy being part of it. She helped those that worked and made the effort, generously giving her time and expertise, and earning the respect of so many. We bonded over our mutual love of fast cars, and she was one of the few people I met at work who became a close, trusted friend to my family. She’ll be missed by many people in the industry, as a colleague but mostly as a friend.”
Mark Lawn, whom Jo supported at Canon and Fujifilm, says: “Jo had seemingly endless experience of developing print businesses and pioneering applications. When it came to sharing that expertise, she was able to find the right words, make the complicated sound easy, and build connections. She called it as it was and never failed to make an impact. Jo’s style was to roll up her sleeves, and get stuck right in. She had the knack of getting to the heart of a problem, asking searching questions and prodding until she got the answers she needed. At various times when I’ve faced a challenge, a chat with Jo made everything feel better and gave me renewed energy and determination.”
Etienne de Wette of ProPrintPerformance comments: “Jo’s expertise, energy, and unwavering commitment to excellence enriched our training programmes for clients like Konica Minolta and Fujifilm Europe. She elevated every aspect she touched, through her clarity, insight, and profound understanding of their needs. She possessed an extraordinary ability to view the business from the customer’s perspective, which made her an exceptional consultant and trainer. Clients, colleagues, and partners – everyone felt heard, understood and supported when Jo was present.”
Print industry consultant Jacky Hobson collaborated with Jo over more than a decade. She says: “Jo’s “no-nonsense” reputation meant I was apprehensive to meet her initially, but her charm, kindness and openness disarmed me. We became firm friends and rarely went more than a week or two without a chinwag. During lockdown we collaborated on a large project and we video called for hours – silently working, throwing around ideas, chatting, and always laughing! If you worked in print, you wanted Jo Lloyd on your team and there was never a fiercer advocate, more trusted confidante, or better wing-woman. She’d tell it how it is but also how to make it better. Jo had a profound influence on me, and I trusted her, and her judgement, implicitly.”
Jo’s passion for print was matched by her love of horses and motor sports – she was never happier than on a racetrack or behind the wheel of her treasured Lotus. She also loved running, chairing her local athletics club, acting as race secretary of the Dorking Tens road race, and directing her local Parkrun. She was an active contributor to her local community, for example during Covid when she handled local pharmacy deliveries and orchestrated local vaccination programmes.
Jo Lloyd’s funeral will take place at Clandon Wood, GU4 7FN on Thursday 17th July at 13:00. Print industry friends of Jo’s are welcome. Please note it is expected to be standing room only – dress code ‘no black’. RSVP to jolloydcelebration@gmail.com
Donations to St Catherines Hospice, BrainsTrust and Royal Marsden are welcome via https://jolloyd.muchloved.com
