Joanna Drake

Part of the IT Leaders 100 - a list of the most influential IT leaders in the UK in 2024.

Joanna is CIO at The Hut Group, with a rich career spanning over two decades in senior IT leadership. With a relentless focus on driving global transformations, Joanna is a stalwart in the technology sector.

Her journey has been marked by a series of notable roles, each contributing to her extensive expertise.

As the CIO at THG, Joanna spearheads the delivery of world-class global operations and technology services across various platforms, ranging from corporate to retail and beyond. Her strategic initiatives include orchestrating transformative programs such as digital workspace enhancements and the establishment of a world-class operations centre, all aimed at elevating customer experience and operational efficiency.

Joanna has also held pivotal positions at organisations including Skyscanner, Wood Mackenzie, Betfair and Yahoo. At Skyscanner she led the Service Excellence group, overseeing global service operations, customer care, and partner support initiatives. Her tenure at Wood Mackenzie saw her driving technology initiatives to enhance client services and operational effectiveness, including the implementation of service management best practices and digital workspace programmes.

At Betfair and Yahoo, Joanna was instrumental in establishing and refining service management strategies, ensuring maximum availability, performance and stability of web services across international markets.

Joanna's career is underpinned by a robust skill set, encompassing expertise in ITIL, PRINCE, and AGILE methodologies, alongside exceptional leadership, communication and problem-solving abilities. Her dedication to continuous improvement and innovation has been evident throughout her journey, driving impactful change and delivering tangible business value.