Interview with Jo Seymour CFO at Lucion Group
Interviewer: Today we delve into the world of Chief Financial Officers in the private sector. With Jo Seymour, who recently went through a career transition. Jo, thank you for joining us. Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you came across your new role with DRAX?
Jo: Thank you for having me. Well, I had no prior experience with DRAX before, but I had been working in the finance recruitment field for quite some time, particularly in the Northwest region. That's how I got acquainted with Rowan Partners, as I had worked with Paul Waite, the CEO of the Rowan Group, on and off for various recruitment roles over the years. In fact, he had placed me in a position around six or seven years ago.
I was at a point where I was starting to think about new opportunities and contemplating my career path. I really loved my job at Speedy, where I had been for almost six years. However, with the changes happening within the company, including a new CEO coming in, I began to question whether I wanted to commit to another long-term plan at Speedy or explore something different. So, I reached out to Rowan and had a conversation with them, expressing my interest in B2B opportunities and my openness to new challenges.
A few weeks later, I received a call from Josh Howlett a consultant from DRAX’s CFO practice, who worked closely with Jack Hird, and he informed me about a role that seemed like a good fit. Interestingly, my name had come up during a Monday morning call between the DRAX team and Rowan, where they discussed potential candidates for various positions. So, my initial introduction to the process came through my connection with Rowan, rather than me directly approaching DRAX or them being familiar with me.
Interviewer: That's fascinating how your path led you to DRAX through your collaboration with Rowan. It seems like a successful partnership. Speaking of which, how was the overall process and experience of transitioning using DRAX compared to your previous endeavours?
Jo: Well, private equity (PE) firms often receive mixed reviews, but not all of them are the same. In my case, transitioning to Lucion with the executive team and working in the sector I wanted, doing a role I enjoy, has been the right fit for me. If I had joined any other PE firm with a different group, the outcome might have been different. I wasn't specifically targeting PE; my focus was finding the right business environment with the right people. It happened to be PE, which aligned with my preference for fast growth and a dynamic pace, similar to what I had experienced at Speedy.
Interviewer: It's great to hear that your transition with DRAX has been a positive experience for you. If you had to sum up your overall experience with DRAX in just a few words or a short sentence, what would they be?
Jo: I would say the experience was incredibly easy. DRAX made the decision-making process smooth and effortless for me. They were highly responsive, and professional, and instilled confidence, which ultimately helped me make the right decision. It's challenging to capture it in just a few words, but they truly facilitated my transition into this fantastic role.
Interviewer: That's fantastic to hear! Your journey is truly inspiring, especially considering the unique circumstances of joining PE for the first time in your 50s and navigating a male-dominated environment. It will be intriguing to follow up with you in the future and witness how your experience evolves. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Jo. We truly appreciate your time and insights.
Jo: Thank you. It was a pleasure to discuss my experience.
