Alan is a STEAM teacher and sustainability champion at Jebel Ali School and the founder of Nature Wave, a UAE-based social enterprise connecting communities with nature through tech and citizen science. He’s led the country’s largest wildlife events and hosted the Middle East’s first Nature Connection Conference.

With over 15 years of teaching experience, Aneil develops tailored technology standards that empower educators and delivers comprehensive digital training programmes for students, staff, and parents.  Aneil specialises in advancing the use of AI, and equipping schools and families with the tools and knowledge to embrace technology responsibly and effectively.

Baz is recognised for his innovative approach to creating links between educational and industry needs, and has successfully embedded pioneering whole-school solutions. Baz launched the first GEMS Centre of Excellence at FPS, creating a groundbreaking partnership with global top 100 organisations through the KHDA Rahhal 10X programme - positioning the school as a regional leader in integrating industry with education.

Bella is a grade 8 Student Council Representative and the Global Ambassador for The Alliance for Sustainable Schools. She owns her own podcast, The Greenius, a talk designed to make sustainability fun and inspiring for children just like her. Bella believes that whether through school projects, her podcast or simply asking the right questions, "even small changes can create waves of change".

After a career as a professional athlete, Ben has spent the last decade working in the wealth management sector supporting hundreds of individuals, families and businesses with their financial planning needs. Ben has seen how basic financial literacy concepts are misunderstood by adults and therefore is passionate about changing the lives of the next generation through financial education.

Catherine is a global advocate for inclusive education and co-founder of Incluzun. With nearly two decades of experience, she’s held senior roles across the MENA region, served on government and sustainability committees, and spoken at UNESCO on inclusion in Gulf education. She continues to lead conversations on equity, accessibility, and student success.

Farah leads Arabic language innovation and education strategy at Al-Futtaim. Her work spans bilingual education, global citizenship, and 22nd-century learning, drawing on her academic background in literature, leadership, and inclusive education. She is a passionate advocate for transforming education systems to reflect diverse futures.

A global EdTech strategist, author, and consultant, Neelam leads digital transformation across international schools. She advises governments, designs AI-integrated curriculums, and pioneers teacher training initiatives — all grounded in practical, future-ready solutions.

Sameera drives inclusive healthcare strategy for People of Determination at NMC. With 20+ years of experience, she's a leader in digital health, public-private partnerships, and equity-focused care across the UAE. Her work continues to bridge medical excellence with community well-being, ensuring no one is left behind.

Fiona leads Hartland Int. School and sits on the COBIS Board. Formerly at GEMS and Wilmington Grammar in the UK, she brings decades of leadership, governance, and safeguarding expertise across the international education space. She also advises on teacher training, school evaluation, and female leadership development in the UAE.

Jolyon is Chief Growth Officer APCO, a global advisory business that’s a growth and foresight partner for companies, governments and UHNWIs. His passion is the intersection of technology and geo-politics, with a particular interest in novel tech and the start-up eco-system. Formerly a political journalist in Westminster, he has lived and worked in Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE.

Kerry Ross is the Chief Operations Officer of Al-Futtaim School Management Company. She has worked in the education sector in the UAE for the past 16 years, and has extensive exposure to all facets of strategic planning, marketing and admissions, HR management, leadership, project management and delivery, finance, customer management, and re-engineering. 

Maryam is a recognised leader in sustainable education for her work as whole school Sustainability Leader in Dubai. Now Director of Education at Heather Harries Education, she drives global collaboration by connecting school leaders with sustainability experts to turn intent into impact. Passionate about embedding environmental responsibility across strategy, culture, and curriculum, she empowers decision makers to build schools that not only educate for the world—but sustain it.

Michelle is a UK-trained inclusion and wellbeing leader. With deep experience across pastoral care, SEN coordination, and positive education, she builds inclusive ecosystems that prioritise belonging, literacy, and emotional wellbeing. Her work supports school-wide strategies that embed resilience and restorative practice.

Philippa is a globally recognised voice in digital strategy and transformation in education. Through her consultancy EdRuption and parent initiative Digital Bridge, she helps schools embed digital governance, equity, and wellbeing into everyday learning.

Sir Nick Gibb served as UK Schools Minister for over a decade under four Prime Ministers, shaping major reforms in curriculum, teacher training, and assessment. His policies on phonics, early career development, and evidence-led CPD transformed England’s global education rankings. A former chartered accountant, he is described by the Daily Telegraph as “the most influential schools minister in England’s history.”

Russell is a leader in transformative education, renowned for his pioneering work with THINK Global School (TGS), the world’s first traveling high school where he was Principal. He is an Amazon bestselling author for his book on the human and AI relationship, “The Firefly Effect: How to Learn, Lead and Thrive in the Age of AI”. He founded both Elham Studio and Almach AI, where he now partners with leading institutions, foundations, and disruptors as a beacon for change amidst broken and breaking systems.

Sanj is a mental fitness trainer who helps individuals and teams thrive under pressure. Over the past seven years, he has worked with +100 teams across professional sports, education, and corporate environments in 11 countries. His work focuses on the design and implementation of evidence-based practices to increase learning, development and performance. 

With over a decade of experience in international school data and insights, Sami leads global research at ISC. His career spans field research, marketing, and school leadership — bringing rare breadth and data-driven vision to school improvement. He plays a key role in identifying global shifts and helping schools respond strategically.

Shen leads curriculum and assessment innovation at Misk Schools, helping students gain global recognition and access. With experience across Sydney, Dubai, and Riyadh, he champions next-gen leadership through purpose-driven education. Shen’s drive is to ensure students of the next generation will be the best leaders the world has ever seen.

Stephen has over 20 years’ experience in operations and finance across the public and private sectors in the UK and internationally. He led the development of nationally recognised school business leadership standards and works closely with the Department for Education, using research and global insights to drive innovation and improvement in schools.

Susanne champions a model of schooling rooted in sustainability, inclusion, and a deep connection to the natural world.  Drawing on over a decade of international experience, Susanne has led curriculum innovation and facilitated professional development on understanding by design, inquiry, and education for sustainable development.

Sylvie is the Education Policy Office Director at ADEK, where she recently oversaw the development of new policies for early education institutions and spearheaded major policy reforms in private and charter schools. She has been working in the education field for 20 years, particularly in academic publishing and higher and K-12 education policy.

Tim is the Principal at Fairgreen International School, a school renowned for its approach to holistic education, sustainability and wellbeing. Holding a Masters in Educational Leadership in Management, Tim has over 10 years of leadership experience and has expertise in a variety of curricula including the IB, British and American. He is particularly interested in developing whole school approaches that support the growth of students as individuals, giving them the tools they need to be successful in life beyond school.

Newly appointed Headmaster at one of the Middle East’s most respected schools, Tomas blends academic rigour with philosophical depth. His leadership is grounded in moral purpose, global outreach, and character development. He brings a clear vision for what it means to educate for excellence and citizenship.