Joanna Knight

Joanna Kathryn Knight OBE (born 9 October 1972), also known as Joanna Swash, is a British businesswoman. She is former Group CEO of Moneypenny, an international business of answering services.

Early life and career Joanna Kathryn Swash was born in Wrexham, Wales and educated at Alun School, Mold, Flintshire. She started her career as an owner of a small business that sold typewriter ribbons in UK (it failed as the popularity of laser printers rose). In 2005, She joined Moneypenny, a UK-based provider of answering services, as a salesperson, becoming CEO in 2018. Knight led Moneypenny into the US market, securing private equity from ECI Partners and acquiring three US businesses: VoiceNation, Alphapage, and Sunshine Communications.

Knight's straight-talking and open approach earned her a place on Boris Johnson's Prime Minister's Business Council.

Knight is the chairperson of Wrexham Community & Culture Trust, an independent charity based in Wrexham, established with the support of Wrexham County Borough Council. Knight headed a consortium backing an Investment Zone for Flintshire and Wrexham which received UK Government backing worth up to £160 million as well as acted as Chair of the City of Culture 2025 bid.

In popular culture Knight has featured in several thought leadership books: Celebrity Service by Geoff Ramm, The Nowhere Office by Julia Hobsbawm and Employee Experience by Ben Whitter, and is a regular guest on BBC Radio 5 Live's Wake Up to Money.

Awards and honours OBE for services to the economy in the 2024 New Year Honours IOD Director of the Year 2022 CEO of the Year 2021 by Management Today Women to Watch 2021 by Cranfield School of Management