JCB’s Chief Executive Officer Alan Blake announced this week that Jo Bamford has been appointed as Managing Director of JCB Compact Products effective 1 November 2011. He takes over from long-serving JCB executive Chris Spring, who will retire from the company in late 2012 having held various senior management roles with JCB Attachments, JCB Earthmovers and JCB Sales.
Jo Bamford (33), son of JCB Chairman Sir Anthony Bamford, was educated at Ampleforth College and is a Master of Arts graduate from the University of Edinburgh. After graduation, Jo spent two years as a fund manager with New Star Asset Management in the City of London. He joined JCB in 2002 as a Product Specialist for the company’s skid steer product range based at JCB’s North American headquarters in Savannah, Georgia.
For the past eight years, Jo has been Managing Director of JCB Utility Products, based in Cheadle, Staffordshire, where he has been successful in broadening the appeal of the company’s utility product range to new industry sectors. A particular career highlight in recent years has been the successful launch of the JCB WORKMAX range of utility vehicles (UTVs), creating new markets around the world in the leisure, sports and estates management sectors. Jo has also been responsible for the company’s successful diversification into power generators. In his new role as Managing Director of JCB Compact Products, Jo will continue to retain responsibility for JCB Utility Products - the combined turnover of both businesses is in excess of £150 million.
Commenting on his appointment, Jo Bamford said "I am taking over as Managing Director of JCB Compact Products at a pivotal moment. The business is going from strength to strength and we have some exciting new product innovations coming through in the next couple of years, which will strongly improve our market position. I’m really looking forward to the challenge."
JCB Chairman Sir Anthony Bamford commented "JCB Compact Products is an important part of our business and I am delighted that Jo is taking on the role of Managing Director. His considerable experience in developing new products and markets will be of huge benefit to JCB Compact Products as the business embarks upon the next phase of its growth under his leadership."
Jo is married with two young children and lives in Staffordshire.
