Citizens Advice Guernsey has announced the appointment of Ali Marquis as its new Chief Executive Officer.
With a background in HR in both the public and private sectors and over 15 years of experience in senior positions in the third sector, Ali (pictured) is well-equipped to lead the Guernsey branch into its next era. She brings a wealth of knowledge, skills and a significant network of contacts to the role.
Ali has previously worked at Citizens Advice Guernsey and has a deep understanding of the charity’s ethos and operations. She had the privilege of working alongside two former CEOs, Kate Raleigh and Kerry Ciotti, working as Deputy CEO to Kerry for two years.
During her previous role, Ali managed the research and campaigns team and trained as an adviser and support volunteer. Through this experience, she gained valuable insights into the charity’s workings and deepened her understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the Citizens Advice office in Guernsey.
As the new CEO, Ali oversees the organisation’s strategic direction and vision. She leads a team of dedicated staff and volunteers and aims to adapt the service to face financial challenges and volunteer availability. Ali aspires to increase the number of volunteers and expand service hours and accessibility to clients by enhancing its service offering to support the charity’s broad spectrum of clients and ever-increasing complexity of enquiries.
Ali will endeavour to collaborate with corporate sponsors to secure sustainable funding for essential improvements to the charity’s infrastructure. This includes upgrading the case recording system and website and acquiring IT licenses to facilitate a more flexible way of working to meet the changing demands.
Providing valuable data to the States of Guernsey to assist policymakers and politicians in making informed decisions and offering a dedicated money advice service are two fundamental workstreams that will continue. Ali hopes to build and strengthen relationships with stakeholders and government departments such as Trading Standards, Population Management, the Employment and Equal Opportunity Service, and energy suppliers. This partnership will help address clients’ challenges, such as increasing energy costs, rising mortgage rates and affordable housing.
Ali is excited to be back working for Citizens Advice Guernsey: “It’s incredible to lead such a great team of volunteers and staff, including working with the voluntary board of directors. My favourite aspect is being part of a big team that genuinely wants to make a difference and is willing to give up their time to help others. It’s very satisfying to help people find solutions to their problems.”
She is extremely grateful to the dedicated volunteers who gave over 12,500 voluntary hours to the charity last year, providing independent, impartial, confidential and free advice to all.
