Jess joined Variety in December 2025 as Corporate Partnerships Manager for the North East.

She previously spent nine years with the Virgin Group, beginning her career as an Executive Assistant supporting senior leaders and Sir Richard Branson on UK engagements, events and advocacy projects focused on social impact. She later moved to Virgin Red during its early start-up phase, playing a part in the team’s growth as the business scaled to over 200 employees and 15 million members.

As Partnerships Manager, Jess built and nurtured relationships with brands including Tesco, Bicester Village, Greggs and AO Arena, developing campaigns that balanced commercial success with meaningful social impact. She also launched the Points for Good initiative, supporting charities such as Made By Dyslexia, UNHCR and Stonewall, as well as independent businesses backed by Virgin StartUp.