Scale Facilitation® welcomes Jo Smail as the new Managing Director of Major Projects. The Managing Director of Major Projects role is an executive-level role reporting directly to the CEO and working across Scale Facilitation® portfolio companies.
Jo has over 20 years’ experience leading and innovating organizations in complex and disruptive environments. Most recently, she served as Senior Trade Commissioner (Washington, DC) and Minister Counsellor for the Australian Trade and Investment Commission at Australia’s Embassy in the United States between 2018 and 2022, promoting Australian exports and attracting foreign direct investment.
In her new role at Scale Facilitation®, Jo is responsible for establishing, overseeing, coordinating, and managing the successful launch of Scale Facilitation® companies within our Friend Shoring™ portfolio, which seeks to build up critical, sovereign, advanced manufacturing capabilities in Australia.
“Scale Facilitation® is an incredibly unique company that is filling known gaps in the Australian innovation ecosystem,” says Jo. “It is commercializing Australian R&D, building national advanced manufacturing capabilities, strengthening critical international partnerships, and giving investors significant opportunities that will make a real impact.”
“This role will enable me to continue to strengthen Australia’s partnership with the US and other friendly nations to create unwavering economic prosperity for like-minded countries. We are in unprecedented times and the opportunity is now to accelerate innovation into market, de-risk project investment, and create an entirely new category of companies,” continued Jo.
“We are thrilled to have Jo join the Scale Facilitation® team. Her US/Australian diplomatic and trade experience is a great asset. This coupled with her exceptional leadership skills make her a perfect fit to bolster our Friend Shoring™ portfolio,” says David A. Collard, Scale Facilitation® Founder and CEO.
Prior to Jo’s role as a commercial diplomat representing Australia in its Embassy in the United States, Jo had a successful career in professional services advising organizations on strategy, transformation, leadership, and culture.
Jo is a contemporary leader, passionate about innovating organisations in complex and disruptive environments for economic growth and productivity. She has an MBA from the University of New England (AU), is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and received her BA from the University of Canberra (AU).