Laura Tenison MBE
Founder and MD of JoJo Maman Bébé

As the founder and Managing Director of JoJo Maman Bébé, Laura has grown the company organically from its start-up in 1993 to our current size and to become the UK’s foremost niche market, specialist in the pregnancy and baby market. Offering fashionable maternity wear, a Breton inspired children's collection and original nursery products, gifts and toys, JoJo gives you everything you need from pregnancy to pre-school

Laura Tenison previously ran a small fashion company before setting up a French property business based in Brittany. When she sold this venture, her aim was to bring Breton nautical style home and offer gorgeous, practical and affordable fashion for mothers and babies in Britain. With real time sales via all channels; the website, 200 page catalogue and the 28 stores, JoJo offers a truly multi-channel service.

The business ethos is based on a strong code of ethical business practice, possibly more akin to a social enterprise than a commercial retail chain. The people and the planet are ranked higher on the agenda than bottom line profit. The company prides itself on its longstanding employees with the majority of the founding members still part of the team. Emphasis is placed upon the service offered to customers and the value for money in the product plus the quality of life of the employees and third party workers above all else.

Laura Tenison is a trustee of the company charity, Nema, based in Mozambique. The tie in was initiated to ensure that company donations make a real difference to the lives of less fortunate children and to reduce infant mortality in this stunning but extremely poor area of Africa. ‘Nema’, (registered charity number 1113131) which translates as “happiness after hardship” is currently receiving assistance from JoJo in the form of UK administration; HR, bookkeeping, website development, funding of charity overheads, ongoing in-house donations and fundraising. This year Nema with the assistance of JoJo will build and support a school in rural Mozambique provide dozens of children with secondary school scholarships as well as funding other projects relating to health and water.

Last summer Laura cycled from the JoJo Design Studio in London to the head office in Wales with her 10 year old son. The journey was 200 miles covered over three days, in order to raise awareness and funds for the charity. Laura also organized the first Buggy Fun Run in Battersea Park to raise additional funds for Nema.

Laura has worked as a voluntary role model in schools and universities and when she has time gives inspirational and information speeches to women’s groups, business conferences and at networking events both in the UK and internationally.

In the past 12 months she has given many talks including a speech in French on behalf of the Welsh Assembly at the Hotel du Matignon, Paris and inspirational talks at such diverse venues as the British Library, London Chamber of Commerce and the Cycle Show, Earls Court where she was accompanied by her 9 year old son – who received far louder applause, of course! She also happy make appearances on relevant TV and radio programmes and has appeared in the last few months on the BBC’s Beat the Boss, The Apprentice - You’re Fired, Channel 4 News, BBC Breakfast TV and BBC2’s Working Lunch, BBC Radio 4 and 5, Sky News and Bloomberg TV  to name a few.  

Laura Tenison does not use a PR agent, but has been fortunate in receiving the many honours and awards over the years, including:

•Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award 2010
•Awarded an MBE for services to business in the Queen’s 2004 New Year's Honours List
•Leading Wales Award 2009
•Winner of the Fast Growth Business Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2008
•Honorary Fellowship of the University of Wales in 2008.
•Harpers & Queen Entrepreneur of the year 2005
•Welsh Entrepreneur of the Year 2003

She is extremely proud that her company, JoJo Maman Bébé, has won numerous awards over the years including the following in the last couple of years:

Winner, Leading Wales Awards, Best Company Award 2010
Winner, Prima Baby Reader Awards, Best Children’s Wear Website 2010
Winner, Priam Baby Reader Awards, Best Maternity Lingerie 2010
Winner, Drapers Children’s Wear Retailer of the Year 2009
Winner, Prima Baby Fashion Awards, Best Catalogue/Mail-order Service 2008
Member of Courvoisier Future 500 of Fashion & Retail 2007
Winner, Pregnancy & Birth Best for Underwear Bloom Award 2007
Winner, Prima Baby Pregnancy Reader Awards Best Buy, Mail Order 2007
Winner, Fast Growth Business Awards, Retail/Leisure Female Entrepreneur 2007
Winner, Fast Growth Business Awards, Retail Business of the Year 2007
Winner, Practical Parenting Baby & Toddler Fashion Award 2007
Winner, Practical Parenting Maternity Fashion Award 2007
Nominated a Superbrand in 2005

Laura Tenison is married and has two sons (Toby and Ben) who both modelled extensively for JoJo as babies. Her husband is a criminal defence barrister. She is a hands-on mother, juggling her children with her career and putting in long hours to ensure that neither suffers, although she admits that being able to survive on little sleep is essential. The advent of technology has enabled Laura to pursue being a hands-on mum and the full time MD of JoJo. Laura was the youngest of a large family and thrives on a busy house full of children. She is known among her friends for cooking huge meals at the drop of a hat and loves impromptu parties and to be surrounded by people. Her home is often the meeting point for JoJo team members (and sometimes their children) from across the company. This allows her to work as required but also be around for her children.

She divides her time between London (where the JoJo design studio and marketing office is based), the company's headquarters in Newport, South Wales (where her family are from) and her home in Brittany where the idea for JoJo was first conceived.

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