Vanessa Leeson

Economics and Statistics Graduate from Bristol University in 1980 and joined the Post Office as a graduate entrant.

A fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

In the Post Office she has worked in areas of policy, local financial management, systems strategy, and regional financial management.   She has been the Finance Director of Royal Mail Engineering and Construction, and the Director Finance of a Royal Mail Division.   In 1995 she led the Post Office team for the Government Performance Review of the Post Office and then became the first woman Director and General Manager of a Royal Mail Division (circa. 18000 employees and turnover £500m).

Vanessa became Post Office Group Strategy Development Director in October 1997 and from October 1998 Director Organisational Capability, heading up the 1999 restructuring of the Post Office group.

She was the Managing Director, Parcelforce Worldwide, since March 2000, turning the business from a £200m loss to a profit for the  last 2 years.

She has just taken up a 4 day a week role as a Strategy Consultant for the Royal Mail Group.

Outside work she has been on the CIMA Editorial Board, and a member of the Business Leaders Group for the Prince’s Trust in Wales.  Is a member of the Opportunity Now Advisory Board, and a member of the CBI East of England Regional Council.

To relax, she enjoys gardening, walking, entertaining, choral singing and lives in Worcestershire with her husband where she spends weekends (and all other times possible!).