Hey, I’m Jo!

A little about me & why I started Looking Outside.

I have always been curious. While I do consider myself an expert in some areas, like strategy and marketing, I know my expertise can get in my own way. It needs to be challenged with fresh perspectives from people who think differently to me.

The openness to this kind of exploration has broadened my perspective, and helped me generate fresh business ideas at the big brands I’ve helped to grow and transform. Motivated by the power of diverse perspectives, I decided to create a podcast to do more of that.

Through Looking Outside, I want to bring more diverse, philosophical and more divergent conversations to the business world.

Where I’ve worked.

Short bio

I established and led Foresight at the global HQ for McDonald’s and prior to that Mars Wrigley, helping push the strategies of the world’s best known brands into the future.
My career has spanned 15+ years within some of the world’s biggest companies, predominantly in the consumer goods and food industries.
I’ve led teams and established functions in Marketing, Strategy and Innovation, always tasked with helping the business transform for a changing world.
In 2024, I founded and now co-lead Foresight Inside Group (FIG), an invite-only network for corporate futurists.
The Looking Outside podcast was created three years ago.
I appear often as a keynote speaker and guest at various industry events and publications, including Venture Beat, CES, Copenhagen Institute of Futures Studies, Greenbook, Compass, Good Food Institute & Dubai Future Forum.
I hold degrees Professional Writing & Philosophy, a mini-MBA in marketing, and additional accreditations in futures studies, innovation and marketing.