Jaco Marais

Director of Corporate Communications

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Biography

Jaco is GGI’s Head of Corporate Responsibility, Creative Partner and Editor of our Annual Review, Thinking Partner and Engagement Consultant. He has been a director with GGI since its formation in 2009 and has been involved in developing the organisation as it is today.

When it comes to flipping the script, there is very little that Jaco wouldn't like to change. The world is a terribly unfair place. It is Jaco’s mission to collaborate with others to make it both better and fairer.

Jaco is GGI’s festival director and editor of the Review. He has been a director with GGI since its formation in 2009.

Constantly observing, thinking and imagining, as an artist does, Jaco is able to visually represent thoughts through drawings, paintings, photography and digital designs. We appreciate artists for their fresh perspectives and new ways of talking and thinking about complex subjects without complicating them. Jaco's talent lies in taking a lot of information, summarising and translating it into language that is concise and simple and captivating. The point of using both art and language is to emotionally connect people to the subject we engage with.

Jaco’s role is to embrace his full range of tools, skills and attributes to make good governance relatable to clients, staff and the wider community. GGI’s YouTube channel, Good Governance TV, social media channels, the printed Review, festival, numerous events, a weekly newsletter, the website and international study tours benefit from Jaco's direction.

During last year's Festival of Governance, Jaco invented and developed the Flip the Script board game and presented - alongside Sophie Howe, the Future Commissioner for Wales and others - at COP26 in Glasgow.

Together with the GGI communications team, Jaco has successfully designed and directed engagement programmes for a wide range of organisations looking to improve the way they connect with clients, staff, public and community groups.

Jaco’s background is in healthcare journalism. Past roles include being the press officer of the Institute of Healthcare Management (IHM) and editing CARE magazine, a members’ journal for the Health and Social Care Quality Commission (HSCQC).

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