The Hon Mary Jo Jacobi

Key Experience

Mary Jo is a senior portfolio executive with a wealth of Board-level experience in international, multi-cultural environments in the private, public and voluntary sectors in the UK and USA. A former senior advisor to US Presidents, Ronald Reagan and George H Bush, Mary Jo offers world class expertise in brand, reputation and crisis management and was an award-winning brand strategist for Lehman Brothers and HSBC Holdings. She is also an accomplished public speaker and seasoned media commentator, with regular appearances on CNBC Europe, Daily Politics, Any Questions Today Programme, Broadcasting House, Radio Scotland and Radio Five Live, and NBC-TV’s Today Show.

Key Achievements

  • Principal global strategist for Royal Dutch Shell plc on reputation management, communications and corporate social responsibility, Devised and implemented a global functional plan and competency-development framework for some 1,000 staff in 140 countries. Led reputation and crisis management and stakeholder engagement throughout the most serious crisis in the company’s 100-year history, from first announcement to corporate restructuring.
  • Devised and executed the award-winning global brand strategies for Lehman Brothers Inc and HSBC Holdings plc
  • Nominated for the UK’s Women into Business Award
  • First woman Non-executive Director and Chairman of the Ladies Professional Golf Association
  • Elected to the New York Academy of Women Achievers
  • Appointed to the California State Senate Advisory Committee on Corporate Governance, Shareholders’ Rights and Securities Transactions
  • Featured author, America's New Women Entrepreneurs
  • Awarded the first Distinguished Service Prize by the US Secretary of Commerce

Employment History

  • Other Current Roles
    • Her Majesty’s Civil Service Commissioner
    • Chair, Independent Advisory Board, Forensic Science
  • Previous Positions
    • Various Board positions with: Royal Dutch Shell plc, Tate and Lyle plc, Lehman Brothers, HSBC Holdings, Eva Health USA, The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd/Marine Midland Bank Inc, New York, Drexel Burnham Lambert

    • Member, Presidential Advisory Committee on Trade Negotiations; Special Assistant to the President; US Department of Commerce: Director of Business Liaison: Executive Assistant to the Associate Deputy Secretary, The Administration of United States President Ronald W Reagan
    • Director of Market Regulation and Government Operations, National Association of Manufacturers, Washington Chief Administrator; Staff Assistant, United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Minority (Republican) Staff, Washington

Position:

Chair

Key Skills:

In-Depth Knowledge of The Financial Services and Energy Sectors

Public Policy Development/Advocacy

Corporate Brand and Reputation Development/Delivery

Stakeholder Mapping/Engagement

Crisis and Change Management

Programme and Budget Planning/Execution

Professional Memberships

RSA Fellow

Economic Club of New York

Royal Institution of Great Britain

Worshipful Company of International Bankers

Guild of Public Relations Practitioners (founding member)

Women Corporate Directors Forum UK

International Women's Forum

International Experience:

An American citizen, Mary Jo has extensive global experience