Summary
Jonathan is Napthens Non-Executive Chairman. A highly experienced business leader, Jonathan has held a wide range of senior roles in the professions and as Chairman provides invaluable guidance and support to our board, the wider partnership and management team.
Specialisms
Having successfully led a wide range of professionals, firms and their clients for over 20 years, in 2015 Jonathan set up his own consultancy, drawing on his experience of running law firms, a large set of Chambers and being elected the first non-accountant Managing Partner to run a top 20 (12th in UK) accountancy practice. He is the only business professional globally to have been either the CEO, COO or elected Managing Partner with overall responsibility for such a diverse group of professionals, their businesses and clients.
With client centric insight, coupled with his extensive experience of running businesses that depend heavily on their people and the service they provide, Jonathan provides business leaders with guidance both at a strategic and also operational level.
Jonathan is a regular speaker at conferences on the management and development of professional services firms.
Background
Having set up his own consultancy in 2015, Jonathan is based internationally with a carefully selected group of clients in the UK and overseas. He joined Napthens in 2022.
Prior to his consultancy role, Jonathan’s career included being elected the Managing Partner and COO of Saffery Champness; CEO of St Philips Chambers, the second largest Chambers in the country; CEO of private client centric London law firm Collyer Bristow; and prior to this, Head of Marketing for what is now, the international law firm DLA. A graduate of Leeds Business School, Jonathan’s career journey began with a major UK retailer.
Jonathan does not publicise his consultancy services, with all his work coming from personal recommendation from clients and colleagues he has worked with over the last 25 years. He is in the fortunate position to be able to pick the clients that he feels best match his own style of approach and skill set.
He is not driven by any need to drive his own personal profile and is therefore able to take on projects and clients that he feels are serious about wanting advice and/or support, be that for a particular project or a longer-term business relationship.
More about Jonathan Fox
How do you like to relax out of work?
I relax by keeping myself fit and agile mentally. I believe that authentic leaders have to be both mentally and physically fit and I try my best to “lead by example” by being a role model for those who aspire to be Leaders in the future. I do serious things, but I never take myself too seriously however!
What is your proudest achievement?
To be elected and re-elected in a contested election as an owning Managing Partner of a Top 20 Accountancy firm and not being an accountant!
What aspect of your job do you find most rewarding
The most rewarding part of my role now is watching firms/others progress. For the last few years anything I do is “not about me anymore” and that is how I approach what it is I do. I am proud of what I have achieved which just goes to show that anything is possible for an individual/a firm...so that is my modus operandi. I care about those who have asked me to help them and watching them progress is how I am now rewarded.
If you had an alternative career – what would be your fantasy job? A music producer/DJ - something I will become one day when I eventually retire!
