Jo Dawson-Gerrard

• Responsible for internal and external comms, crisis preparedness, public affairs messaging, and member engagement at the largest dedicated trade association in the UK for HGV, LGV and coach. Member of SLT and head of a team of 5.
• Strengthening coordination across press, policy, and digital teams to deliver campaigns aligned to member priorities and industry influence.
• Advising senior leaders and BOD on reputation, risk, and thought leadership.

• Advisory role as Board Member providing direction to the SLT.
• Increased strategic oversight on communications and partnerships, helping strengthen the YMCA’s community profile and stakeholder engagement.

• Founded and grew a luxury wellness brand from concept to launch, managing product development, manufacturing, ecommerce, finance, marketing and sales.

Dual role leading strategic marketing, communications and business development while also advising employer and clients legally.

• Led PR, crisis comms, award entries and stakeholder engagement – contributing to 20% revenue growth and 441% growth in e-training.
• Developed and implemented digital and CRM strategy. Managed podcasts with international reach and strong audience engagement.
• Managed and mentored junior comms and BD team members.

• Working with commercial partners in a trade association environment.
• Increased member engagement and revenue.

Before moving into strategic communications leadership, I gained extensive legal and agency-side experience.

• Trained and spent over a decade as a corporate solicitor at a Top 40 UK law firm (Cobbetts LP, now part of DWF), specialising in M&A, partnerships, commercial and employment law. Advised clients across the transport, healthcare, professional practices, renewables and recycling sectors, often managing complex, high-value projects to tight deadlines.
• Later, took on a dual role at a law firm (Fielden Law LLP, now FMGC LLP) as both solicitor and marketing consultant, combining technical legal work with business development and profile-raising activity—paving the way for my shift into full-time communications.
• Earlier in my career, worked in Brussels, advising on EU law and lobbying institutions including the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament, working fluently in French, German and English.
• Previously worked as a paralegal in a German transport law firm, operating entirely in German, gaining early insight into cross-border legal and regulatory matters.
• Gained advertising agency experience, managing campaigns for AA, Standard Fireworks, Littlewoods, K2, Diadora, Head and Greater Manchester Travelcards—developing brand, media and audience insight.

This broad foundation has equipped me with a strong commercial mindset, legal fluency, and a deep understanding of reputation, regulation and stakeholder engagement—skills I now apply at senior level in the UK’s road transport sector.