Each month, we turn the spotlight on the leadership teams in our portfolio to find out what drives them, who inspires them, and the biggest lessons they’ve learned.
This month, we chat with Jesper With-Fogstrup, CEO of Moneypenny, a leading provider of outsourced communications. Jesper joined the business six months ago and brings deep experience in digital transformation and customer-centric leadership, having held senior roles across the tech and service sectors.
Jesper shares what motivates him, his thoughts on leadership, and the secret sauce behind an effective management team.
Q: Which one rule do you expect your employees to abide by?
Do the right thing – even when it’s hard. It’s a simple but powerful principle that drives integrity, ownership, and customer focus. Change is constant in most businesses and, I expect our people to act with good judgement, take ownership, and always keep the client’s experience at the heart of what they do.
Q: What motivates you?
Driving meaningful change that creates lasting impact – for our people, our clients, the business and the wider community. I’m motivated by solving tough problems, building high-performing teams, and seeing the tangible results of progress – especially when we move faster, serve client’s needs better, and create a culture people are proud to be part of.
Q: What are you most proud of in your career?
I’m most proud of building strong teams of diverse individuals that deliver real transformation – culturally, commercially, and operationally.
Across my career, whether in startups or large-scale businesses, I’ve led change that not only improved performance and successful exits but created more inclusive, empowered cultures. Seeing people grow, step up, and thrive in that environment is what stands out most.
I am especially proud of my time with GTA (Gullivers Travel Associates) when I built a new product inventory type delivering $110m+ incremental annual run rate revenue 60 days after go-live, changed how the company operated and was a substantial contributor to our successful exit to Kuoni.
Q: What made you want to join Moneypenny?
The combination of a strong purpose, a great culture, and huge untapped potential. Moneypenny has a standout reputation for service and amazing people, and what excited me was the opportunity to scale that magic – through technology including AI, doing more jobs for more clients and optimising our operation. It was clear to me that with that approach and serving even more businesses as their trusted seamless partner, we could unlock the next phase of growth.
Q: How would you like others to describe you as a leader?
Decisive, transparent, and empowering – someone who acts as the Chief Unblocking Officer. I aim to set a clear direction, communicate openly, and create the conditions for others to succeed. I see my role as clearing obstacles, removing friction, and enabling teams to move faster and smarter. I want to be known for driving progress, bringing energy, and caring deeply about both performance and people.
Q: What is the secret sauce for an effective management team?
Trust, challenge, and accountability — with customer obsession and relentless execution. Great management teams operate best when there is a space where leaders feel safe to speak openly, aren’t afraid to challenge each other, and bring fresh ideas to the table. That builds high trust and encourages better, faster decision making, when people aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo.
Accountability is the glue. Shared and individual. Everyone takes full ownership of outcomes and supports each other to deliver. When that’s paired with a deep focus on the customer and a genuine bias for getting things done well, results follow.
Q: Night in or night out?
I lean towards a night in – especially as I travel so much and am often away from home. When I do have time at home, I really value the chance to unwind the two of us, or with friends for dinner. I also enjoy a good book or enjoying a night at the theatre. That said, I’m always up for a night out when there’s something worth celebrating – not too hard to find something to celebrate!
Q: Favourite film?
There are so many great films, but you might not expect this one: Roman Holiday with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn is my all-time favourite. I love its playfulness and charm, but also the deeper themes: freedom versus duty, self-discovery, and the quiet power of simple pleasures over societal expectations. It’s timeless.
