Jo Valentine, Baroness Valentine
Encyclopedia
Josephine Clare Valentine, Baroness Valentine, known as Jo Valentine (born 8 December 1958) is a member of the British
House of Lords.
Valentine was educated at St Paul's Girls' School
and St Hugh's College, Oxford
, where she read Maths and Philosophy.
Valentine sits on the boards of several organisations in the United Kingdom
. She is chief executive of London First, was on the National Lottery Commission
until September 2005. In 2005 she was recommended by the House of Lords Appointments Commission
to be made a life peer
, and is now known as Baroness Valentine, of Putney in the London Borough of Wandsworth
.
Baroness Valentine joined London First in 1997 as Managing Director, becoming Chief Executive in 2003. Her role centres on representing to national and local government the most pressing issues affecting London’s leading businesses. London First’s mission is to make London the best place in the world in which to do business. Its members include leading retailers, investment banks and property companies.
Prior to London First, Jo Valentine worked in corporate finance at Barings Bank
, where she became the first female manager. In 1988, on secondment from Barings, she established and ran ‘The Blackburn Partnership’ a public-private partnership to regenerate Blackburn, Lancashire. In 1990 she joined The BOC Group
to head the corporate finance and planning function, leaving in 1995 to establish the Central London Partnership (CLP).
Baroness Valentine is an Honorary Fellow of St Hugh’s College Oxford, a board member of the New West End Company and of inward investment agency Think London and was a trustee of Teach First
. She is married, to venture capitalist and author Simon Acland, son of former British Ambassador to Washington, Sir Antony Acland. They have two daughters, Eloise Acland and Isabel Acland.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
House of Lords.
Valentine was educated at St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School is a senior independent school, located in Brook Green, Hammersmith, in West London, England.-History:In 1904 a new day school for girls was established by the trustees of the Dean Colet Foundation , which had run St Paul's School for boys since the sixteenth century...
and St Hugh's College, Oxford
St Hugh's College, Oxford
St Hugh's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford. It is located on a fourteen and a half acre site on St Margaret's Road, to the North of the city centre. It was founded in 1886 as a women's college, and accepted its first male students in its centenary year in 1986...
, where she read Maths and Philosophy.
Valentine sits on the boards of several organisations in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. She is chief executive of London First, was on the National Lottery Commission
National Lottery Commission
The National Lottery Commission is the non-departmental public body set up on 1 April 1999 under the National Lottery Act 1998 to regulate the National Lottery...
until September 2005. In 2005 she was recommended by the House of Lords Appointments Commission
House of Lords Appointments Commission
The House of Lords Appointments Commission is a non-partisan, non-statutory, independent body in the United Kingdom. It has three roles:*to recommend people for appointment as non-party-political life peers;...
to be made a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
, and is now known as Baroness Valentine, of Putney in the London Borough of Wandsworth
London Borough of Wandsworth
The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London, England, and forms part of Inner London.-History:The borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and much of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth, but...
.
Baroness Valentine joined London First in 1997 as Managing Director, becoming Chief Executive in 2003. Her role centres on representing to national and local government the most pressing issues affecting London’s leading businesses. London First’s mission is to make London the best place in the world in which to do business. Its members include leading retailers, investment banks and property companies.
Prior to London First, Jo Valentine worked in corporate finance at Barings Bank
Barings Bank
Barings Bank was the oldest merchant bank in London until its collapse in 1995 after one of the bank's employees, Nick Leeson, lost £827 million due to speculative investing, primarily in futures contracts, at the bank's Singapore office.-History:-1762–1890:Barings Bank was founded in 1762 as the...
, where she became the first female manager. In 1988, on secondment from Barings, she established and ran ‘The Blackburn Partnership’ a public-private partnership to regenerate Blackburn, Lancashire. In 1990 she joined The BOC Group
The BOC Group
The BOC Group plc was the official name of the multinational industrial gas and British based company more commonly known as BOC, and now a part of The Linde Group. In September 2004, BOC had over 30,000 employees on six continents, with sales of over £4.6 billion. BOC was a constituent of the...
to head the corporate finance and planning function, leaving in 1995 to establish the Central London Partnership (CLP).
Baroness Valentine is an Honorary Fellow of St Hugh’s College Oxford, a board member of the New West End Company and of inward investment agency Think London and was a trustee of Teach First
Teach First
Teach First is an independent educational charity United Kingdom, Reg. No. 1098294, founded in 2002. Its mission is to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields...
. She is married, to venture capitalist and author Simon Acland, son of former British Ambassador to Washington, Sir Antony Acland. They have two daughters, Eloise Acland and Isabel Acland.
External links
- Announcement of her introduction at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 25 October 2005
- London First