About

Jake Grieves-Cook is a Kenyan citizen who grew up and went to school in Kenya followed by university in U.K. He has been involved in tourism and wildlife conservation in Kenya for nearly 50 years. He started his career in the Mara in 1972 at Keekorok Lodge and worked with the Block Hotels group for 10 years ultimately as Managing Director. Subsequently he was based for a period in UK as Marketing Director of Kuoni Travel before founding Tropical Places in 1987 which became the UK’s largest “direct-sell” longhaul tour operator. In 1989 he set up  the Nairobi-based Gamewatchers Safaris, before returning to live in Kenya.

Jake has served in recent years as Chairman of the Ecotourism Society of Kenya, Chairman of the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF),  as a board member of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), as a  trustee and Vice-Chairman of the EU / Kenya Government Tourism Trust Fund (TTF), as a council member and Vice-Chairman of the East African Wildlife Society and over a six year period as Chairman of the Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) from 2004 to 2007 and again from 2008 to 2011.

He has been involved along with others in developing the conservancy concept which seeks to protect wildlife habitat in co-operation with local communities who are able to earn an income and gain opportunities for jobs from low-impact sustainable tourism. Last year he retired from full-time involvement in Gamewatchers Safaris and moved to U.K. to live in Wales, his wife’s home,  but continues to lend his assistance to his colleagues in promoting tourism to Kenya as a means of supporting wildlife conservation and rural communities.