Maggie and her late husband, Professor William Dampier Jeans, moved to Oman from Bristol in 1990. Bill had been given the responsibility of setting up the Radiology Department in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital. Maggie joined as the Education Officer in the College of Medicine at the University where she set up the Overseas Elective Programme for medical students. She worked at SQU for six years.

When a contact proposed the idea of setting up an educational consultancy in 1996, Maggie decided to seize the opportunity. Among the early clients were various ministries, including the Ministry of Education. Whilst assisting with a three year project for the establishment of Learning Resource Centres (LRCs) for all the government schools in Oman, books entered the equation.

“The books came mostly from the UK so we already had several contacts in publishing. Over the course of time, we started to import books for various other ministries and as more colleges, institutes and schools opened in Oman, the requirement grew. That’s how we entered the book business,” says Maggie, who is the Founder/Director of Al Manahil International LLC.
A socially active and prominent figure in the Sultanate, Maggie is also the coordinator of the British Business Forum (BBF) in Oman and one of the
pillars of the business community. BBF, a networking group, works toward promoting UK-Oman business links and Maggie has been instrumental in forging business relations between the two communities.

In 2016, Maggie was awarded the OBE in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours List for services to Anglo-Omani relations. The award was presented in a special ceremony by Prince Charles during his visit to Oman, attended by Omani friends.

After Bill’s passing in 2015, Maggie decided to work on setting up a palliative care support group in Oman. “When my husband became ill, because of his medical background we were able to get access to practical advice and assistance, but I realised that many people without these connections would not be so fortunate.

Palliative care is a sensitive subject but some people find it uncomfortable to address. So much attention is focussed on the beginning of life, when babies are born. Someone who has lived a full and interesting life deserves the same dignity and care towards the end of life as well. That’s why the Oman Palliative Care support group was established in 2018,” says Maggie.
The Oman Palliative Care Group has linked to the World Hospice and Palliative Care Association and King’s College in London and also has a team of Omani medical experts.

“The Oman Palliative Group team includes former students from my days as Education Officer in the College of Medicine in the SQUH. They are now a lively and dedicated group of doctors and we have come together to promote palliative care in Oman through raising awareness and education,” says Maggie.

About 18 months ago Maggie set up a group called The Old Muscateers, bringing together people who have lived in Oman for the past few decades and have seen the tremendous transformation that the country has undergone. “We set it up to celebrate the 50th National Day of Oman. No one expected the pandemic to change our plans,” says Maggie.

The group has now decided to hold individual tea parties to celebrate the National Day, a reflection of the garden tea parties hosted at the Al Alam Palace by the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos in the 1990s for National Day.
A friend of Maggie’s and a renowned personality in Oman, Captain Ralph Wood has designed a commemorative tea towel to celebrate Oman’s 50th National Day, limited to 50 pieces that will be used by the members during the virtual tea parties. “Oman is beautiful and unique. There is never a dull day here and I am never bored. There is something new that catches my attention every day. This is home for many of us.

“I love the people here. I love their warmth, friendliness, and inclusiveness. That’s what has kept me here in Oman.”

Maggie Jeans OBE

Celebrating 50 years of Oman is a nice way to pay tribute to the late HM Sultan Qaboos and the country which is now our home,” says Maggie.