Jo Salter

Dr Jo Salter MBE is a leadership consultant and speaker who specialises in resilience, adaptive leadership, and breaking through barriers in high-pressure environments. As Britain's first female fast jet pilot, she made history flying the Tornado with the RAF's 617 Squadron after joining at 18, later becoming an honorary Group Captain. Her career spans senior roles at PwC, including Director of Global Transformative Leadership, where she led transformation across 138 countries, and Associate Lecturer at the Open University Business School. Awarded an MBE by HRH Prince William for her services to aviation, Jo equips audiences with practical strategies for leading through uncertainty, challenging assumptions about potential, and building the confidence to achieve what once seemed impossible.

When Jo Salter seized the newly opened opportunity for women to fly fast jets in 1992, she set in motion a career that would redefine the boundaries of military aviation and corporate leadership. At just 18, she joined the Royal Air Force, and by 1994 had become Britain's first female fast jet pilot, flying the formidable Panavia Tornado with 617 Squadron, the legendary Dambusters. This pioneering achievement not only etched her name into history but established a foundation of resilience, precision, and courage that would shape her work across decades. Now an honorary Group Captain, Jo has translated her barrier-breaking experience into a powerful platform for leadership development, recently awarded an MBE by HRH Prince William for her services to aviation.

Jo's credibility stems from her sustained impact across military, corporate, and educational environments. Following her RAF career, she transitioned into senior leadership at PwC, where she spent over a decade driving organisational transformation. As Director of People & Organisation, she led a global team of 10,000 across 138 countries, integrating digital capabilities and data analytics to enhance workforce effectiveness. Her subsequent roles as Director & Chief of Staff to the Head of Technology & Investments and Director of Risk Technology Strategy equipped her with deep expertise in navigating complexity at scale. Most recently, as Director of Global Transformative Leadership until 2023, she focused on developing leaders capable of guiding organisations through uncertainty. Beyond corporate work, Jo has contributed to education as an Associate Lecturer at the Open University Business School for 17 years, authored books on energy and personal development, and served as a trustee for Ripples Charity. Her ongoing ambassadorship with Global Angels and continued involvement with the Air Cadets reflect her commitment to empowering the next generation, whilst her work as Managing Director of Saltin Ltd enables her to deliver bespoke leadership solutions.

Jo's speaking engagements create tangible, lasting transformation for audiences navigating change and uncertainty. She draws on real-world lessons from breaking into male-dominated fields, leading large-scale transformations, and making high-stakes decisions under pressure. Her approach prioritises reflection over rhetoric, using purposeful pauses and authentic storytelling to help individuals recognise their own untapped potential. Audiences leave with practical strategies for building resilience, challenging limiting assumptions, and leading with confidence in complex environments. Jo frequently stays after events to engage in the meaningful conversations that follow, understanding that genuine impact occurs when people feel ready to explore the questions that matter most to their growth. Whether working with corporate teams facing digital transformation, educational institutions developing future leaders, or industry conferences seeking actionable insight, Jo delivers frameworks and mindsets that resonate long after the session ends, equipping people to achieve what they once believed impossible.