IPSEF Global 2026 Conference Programme
Woburn House, Tavistock Square, London
Wednesday 24th of June 2026
Order of the programme may be subject to change
8.00-9.00
REGISTRATION & COFFEE
Conference Host: Jonathan Hughes-D’Aeth,
Educational Consultant
9.00-9.20
IPSEF Platinum Sponsor – Dentons
Beyond the Signature: The Clauses That Matter Most in International School Expansion
An overview of the key contractual provisions for UK schools and their international operating partners, focusing on termination rights, liability allocation and development obligations which are often the most heavily negotiated provisions in school operating agreements; this session explores why they matter, where parties typically disagree and the compromises that get deals signed.
Ross Barfoot,
Partner, Dentons
Karolina Cotronei,
Partner, Dentons
9.20-9.35
IPSEF Knowledge Partners – L.E.K. Consulting
Trends and Opportunities Shaping Global K-12 Education
Global demand for international private K-12 education remains resilient, driven by growing parental demand for high-quality educational offerings, expanding middle-class populations, and increasing cross-border investment in the sector. In this keynote session, Ashwin Assomull, Partner and Head of L.E.K. Consulting’s Global Education Practice, will explore the latest trends shaping the global K-12 market and the opportunities emerging for international school brands, operators, and investors seeking growth across new and established markets.
Ashwin Assomull,
Head of Global Education Practice, L.E.K. Consulting
9.35-9.50
IPSEF Knowledge Partners – L.E.K. Consulting
AI in K-12 Schools: Transforming Learning, Teaching, and the Future of Education
AI is rapidly emerging as one of the most transformative forces in K-12 education, reshaping how students learn, how teachers teach, and how schools operate. In this session, Rob Wild, Partner at L.E.K. Consulting, will explore the strategic opportunities AI creates across the school ecosystem from personalised learning, teacher productivity, assessment, and student wellbeing to curriculum design, school operations and more. The session focuses on what education leaders, operators, and investors must do now to harness AI responsibly, effectively, and at scale.
Rob Wild,
Partner, L.E.K. Consulting
9.50-10.10
Armchair Chat
‘Hear all the insights from Inspired Education Group in this armchair chat between Mike Lambert and moderator Dr Helen Wright’
Moderator: Dr Helen Wright,
International Education Advisor & Executive Coach, Global Thought Leadership & Associate, LSC Education.
Mike Lambert,
Global Education Director, Inspired Education Group
10.10-11.10
The Middle East and Saudi Arabia Panel Session
Discussing the latest regional developments in Bahrain, Dubai, Jordan, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia
Chair: Ross Barfoot,
Partner, Dentons
Mandy Edmond,
Vice Principal, Head of Enterprise and Strategic Partnerships, Norland
Shahram Hashemi,
Managing Partner, Aldenham Education Group (AEG).
Mike Lambert,
Global Education Director, Inspired Education Group.
Alejandro Delso Segovia,
Head of Strategy & Development, SEK Education Group.
Dave Taylor,
Chief Operating Officer, Artemis Education
11.10-11.50
Refreshment Break, Networking & Exhibition Visits
11.50-12.10
Should you be building hybrid into your school mix?
Mark will talk about the rise of remote and Hybrid teaching and the drivers that he believes will make these very important aspects of secondary schooling in the near future.
Mark Steed,
Founder, Steed Education
12.10-12.40
Internationalisation Strategies for Independent Schools: Developing Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Asia’s Highly Competitive Market
The international schools sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, with over 14,800 institutions worldwide and 376 added in the past six months. Asia now accounts for 58% of this total, led by China and India. This expansion presents both opportunities and significant headwinds, particularly in saturated urban centres such as Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Singapore.
Ali Aliev,
Director of Business Development, North London Collegiate School International
12.40-1.00
Schools’ Resilience Training in the event of a Crisis
Professionally developed crisis management and resilience training for the education sector.
The key learning from this session will be to cover the benefits to a School having live incident exercises .
Francesca Hunt,
Co-Founder & Director, CrisisCast
12.40-2.15
Lunch, Networking & Exhibition Visits
2.15-3.15
Asia Panel Session
Discussing the latest regional developments in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Tokyo
Chair: Mark Steed,
Founder, Steed Education
Ian Bogle,
Founder & Creative Director, Bogle Architects
Sara Brazendale,
Managing Director, St Paul’s Girls’ School International
Mark Coggins,
Co-Founder & Board Director,Cranleigh China
Alex McGrath,
Founder, Castlegate Education
Paul Ratcliffe,
Chief Operating Officer, Epsom College
Kathy Sawtell,
Business Development Director, The Perse School
3.15-4.00
India Panel Session
Discussing the latest regional developments in India
Chaired by Vipul Bhargava,
Partner, Novistra Capital
John Chisholm,
Director of International Education, Whitgift School
Iwan Lloyd,
International Development Director, Bedford School
Dr Alastair Morrison,
Managing Director, RGS Guildford International
Dr Maghin Tamilarasan,
Director of Domestic and International Partnerships, Haileybury
4.00-4.45
A ‘State’ To Be In? Opportunity, Optics and Opinions!
Exploring perspectives and positioning for the ‘brave new world’ of U.S. markets …
This panel brings together a dynamic group of specialists, each viewing the U.S market from widely differing angles, sharing innovative ideas, with the deliberate intention of provoking lively discussion … and action in the market!
Pam Mundy,
Executive Director, Pam Mundy Associates
Fiona Carter,
Group Director of Education, Forfar Education
Darin Jellison,
Principal and President, Blackney Hayes
Dr. Kenan Sener,
CEO, ServePremier Education and Founder and Executive Director for Global Affairs, Fulton Science Academy
Nikita Rajgopal,
Principal, L.E.K. Consulting
Karen Davies,
Senior Director, Charterhouse International
4.45-5.30
M&A at home and abroad
An in-depth discussion on Mergers and Acquisitions and partnerships in the International Schools Market
Chair: Vipul Bhargava,
Partner, Novistra Capital
John Forsyth,
Founder & CEO, Forfar Education
Duncan Murphy,
Chief Strategy Officer, MTM Consulting
Ross Barfoot,
Partner, Dentons
Andrew Elias,
Founder, Growth Story Advisory
5.30-7.00
Post Conference Networking Reception Sponsored by
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*This programme is correct at this time, however the IPSEF team reserve the right to alter or cancel the programme and/or speakers due to circumstances beyond our control