Suffolk Mind chief scoops regional business award

We are thrilled to share that our Chief Executive Officer, Jon Neal, has been named Director of the Year at the recent East Anglian Daily Times Business Awards.

Jon, who has been instrumental in the growth of Suffolk Mind since his arrival in 2016, was shortlisted in recognition of his impact on the local mental health picture and his support for our staff and volunteers.

Judges commended his active approach to leadership, excellent fundraising efforts and the great strides he has made to make Suffolk the best place in the world to talk about and take care of mental health.

Speaking following his win, Jon was full of praise for the entire Suffolk Mind team

He said: “It is a huge honour to win such a prestigious award, which wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible team surrounding me at Suffolk Mind who make me so proud every single day.

“Together we are devoted to our mission of making Suffolk the best place in the world to talk about and take care of mental health, and continue to make great strides every day through our community outreach and training services.”

Achievements throughout Jon’s tenure so far include the launch of The Mental Health Toolkit, our business training arm, and overseeing a fundraising revolution to safely navigate the coronavirus pandemic.

Last year we delivered more than 3,900 counselling sessions to over 900 clients, while Suffolk Mind’s Helpline handled more than 20,000 phone and email enquiries.

That work saw our counselling service’s Net Promoter Score rise by 14% to 80 – significantly above the national sector average of 32.

Reflecting on an incredible year, Jon also thanked his fellow finalists – alongside all those behind the scenes to host the ceremony.

He said: “My thanks go to the judges, organisers, and the sponsors of the awards, which achieve so much in raising the profile of some outstanding employers in Suffolk.

“Most of all, my thanks go to the awesome team of staff and volunteers at Suffolk Mind.”

More information on the scale of our work can be found in our 2023 Impact Report.