Industry pays tribute to print business expert Jo Lloyd

Tributes from across the print industry have been paid to print business expert Jo Lloyd, who passed away on May 23rd, aged 62, after a long illness.

Lloyd’s 40-year career started with roles at Reed and EMAP McLaren, after which 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.

In her time in the industry, LLoyd also invested in several print and creative businesses of her own. This included providing strategic and team-building support to a variety of print organisations through her consultancy business, Cotmandene Training & Development.

Colleagues from Canon Europe have reminisced about Jo’s significant contribution to its Essential Business Builder Programme, which supported Canon customers to maximise the business impact of their digital technology investments.

David Preskett, current vice president, EMEA and APAC, at Kongsberg, worked with Lloyd over many years while at Canon.

Preskett 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."

Summing up his feelings at her loss, Preskett adds: “She’ll be missed by many people in the industry, as a colleague but mostly as a friend.”

Mark Lawn, head of POD Solutions at Fujifilm Graphics Europe, was supported by her at both Canon and Fujifilm. He 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."

Lawn adds: “At various times when I’ve faced a challenge, a chat with Jo made everything feel better and gave me renewed energy and determination.”

Jo Lloyd’s funeral will take place at Clandon Wood, GU4 7FN on Thursday 17th July at 13:00. Print industry friends of Jo are welcome, with it expected to be standing room only. The dress code of the funeral is ‘no black’. Those who wish to RSVP should email: jolloydcelebration@gmail.com