Executive Leadership - Sanodea Group | Intelligence. Execution. Value.

Mr. Jean Y. Marais

Founder & Group Executive Chairman, Sanodea Group

Globally respected senior executive with over 30 years of leadership across mining, commodities, digital transformation, e-commerce, and strategic advisory. In addition to leading Sanodea Group, Jean serves as Senior Mining Advisor, Operating Partner, and Technical Consultant to an international technology group, and as Managing Director – Corporate Advisory for a global firm. He is widely recognised as a CEO-level leader in mining and digital transformation, and is also an author and lifestyle coach.

He is also the founder & former Group CEO of YJM Virtuoso Group, where he built and scaled a diversified international company spanning executive consulting, commodities trading, digital platforms, and cross-border commerce across Africa and the Middle East.

He has held senior executive, board, and supervisory roles across major international organisations, leading complex, multi-jurisdictional operations and large-scale industrial platforms across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and global markets.

As the creator of the Digital Readiness Toolkit for African Mines™ and the SanoMineIQ™, SanoStratIQ™, and SanoTradeIQ™ platforms, he has developed integrated, AI-enabled systems addressing data fragmentation, operational inefficiencies, and transaction execution across mining, commodities, and industrial sectors.

He is also the author of Lifestyle Coaching: A Guide to Balance & Wellness (2024), applied within executive and high-performance environments across Africa and the Middle East.

Board Leadership & Governance

Founder & Group Executive Chairman — Sanodea Group
Founder & former Group CEO — YJM Virtuoso Group
Retired Board Member & Managing Director — AngloGold Ashanti subsidiaries
Retired Board & Supervisory Board Member — Cunico Resources N.V.
Retired Supervisory Board Member—Human Resources Association of North Macedonia, (representing all member-states next to the Black Sea).

Expertise Across Sanodea

Advisory
Provided high-level consulting and advisory services to governments, DFIs, and multinational corporations. Delivered strategic turnarounds, organisational efficiency programmes, and enterprise-wide transformation frameworks.

Intelligence
Developed and deployed AI-enabled platforms supporting strategic planning, mining intelligence, and operational analytics. Led implementation of ERP, IoT, predictive analytics, and integrated planning systems across multiple operations and regions.

Commodities
Led full value chain operations across mining, commodities, and cross-border trade. Managed large-scale operational environments, including workforce, supply chains, and multi-country trade platforms.

Strategic Partnerships
Structured and led cross-border partnerships, joint ventures, and investment platforms. Aligned stakeholders across governments, investors, operators, and service providers within complex operating environments.

Selected Achievements

USD 100M West African mine sale and handover with full regulatory and multi-stakeholder alignment
USD 120M asset divestment delivering end-to-end transaction execution (120x value creation)
USD 65M+ IFC-aligned mine closure and sovereign asset transition
USD 2.1B+ P&L leadership across multi-site, multi-jurisdictional operations
USD 2B+ capital expansion programmes directed across asset-intensive operations
USD 400M+ cost optimisation delivered through operational transformation and asset optimisation
USD 400M+ transactions executed across mining, energy, logistics, and industrial sectors
28% operational efficiency improvement through AI-enabled systems and digital integration
Large-scale operational turnaround reducing AISC by ~50% and extending mine life by four profitable years
Global deployment of ERP and integrated business planning systems across multiple continents
Development of proprietary AI-enabled platforms across strategy, mining intelligence, and trade execution
Health, wellness, and community programmes delivering measurable social impact
Intergenerational wealth and legacy structuring initiatives beyond core operations
Industry recognition including Best Mining Company of the Year (Ghana) during COVID-19

Qualifications

Professional Philosophy

Championing sustainable growth, innovation, and Africa’s global emergence through disciplined leadership, structured execution, and long-term value creation across industries and markets.