Today marks a new chapter for MAG, as Darren Cormack, former Strategy, Government Relations and Partnerships Director, becomes our new Chief Executive.
Dr Jane Cocking, who led MAG for the last three and a half years has stepped down to pursue other opportunities in the humanitarian sector.
"I want to thank Jane for her years of service to MAG, and support to me. Jane has worked tirelessly in her leadership, with a relentless focus on quality and impact — overseeing a significant period of growth in our work," Darren said.
Darren, 40, joined MAG in 2008, before which he worked in both the private and non-profit sectors in the UK and internationally, including in Cambodia, South Sudan, Sudan, the Philippines and Indonesia. He worked in international wildlife and conservation programmes before moving into humanitarian and development work.
He added: "It is an incredible honour and privilege to be MAG's new CEO. I’m genuinely humbled to have been given the responsibility of leading people who perform such amazing, life-saving work, often in the most challenging and complex circumstances. I'm so grateful for this opportunity and excited to be getting started."
“MAG is recognised as a world leader in both mine action and arms management and destruction and it has a powerful and influential voice to effect policy change to help us achieve our goal of a landmine free world."
"MAG is an organisation I love, it has a proud history and relevant future. But we would be none of this without the heroic dedication of our staff, working in all roles to help us do what we do. MAG’s globally leading position is entirely down to the exceptional quality of our people.”
“I’m genuinely humbled to have been given the responsibility of leading people who perform such amazing, life-saving work, often in the most challenging and complex circumstances.”
Darren Cormack, NEW MAG CEO
MAG, headquartered in Manchester, UK, has more than doubled in size in the last three years and employs more than 5,000 people in 26 countries.
MAG is regarded as a global leader in humanitarian mine action, finding and destroying landmines, cluster munitions and unexploded bombs in places affected by conflict. Since 1989, the organisation has helped over 18 million people in 68 countries rebuild their lives and livelihoods after war.
Karen Brown, Chair of Trustees for MAG, said: “Darren’s knowledge of our sector and our work is exceptional. He enjoys trusting and long-standing relationships with our donors and partners and is held in high regard by both his colleagues and peers.
“And his vision for MAG is the right one: a deeply principled organisation, is bold and is, above all, utterly focused on saving and changing as many lives as it can. People in conflict-torn regions will be drastically affected by the impact of Covid-19 so Darren takes over as CEO at a critical time and he will enable MAG to fulfil its commitment to these communities.”
Ms Brown added: “Our Board of Trustees would also like reiterate our tributes to Darren’s predecessor, Dr Jane Cocking. The whole organisation is indebted to her for her leadership and achievements over the last three years.”
