GEMS School Management (GSM) partners with investors, developers and governments to open new schools, and work with existing school owners to raise academic results, grow enrolment and protect margins. We draw on more than 65 years of experience, running successful schools across multiple curricula.
Chairman’s vision
Our vision at GEMS has always been to make quality education accessible to every learner – wherever they are. Schools around the face numerous challenges, but with the right management services tailored to their unique needs, they can focus on what truly matters — delivering exceptional education to their students. For more than six and a half decades, we’ve gained unmatched expertise and through GEMS School Management, we will share that knowledge to support schools across the planet.
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For investors and school owners who want results without guesswork, GSM draws upon GEMS Education’s six-decade record of running successful schools.
building and running high-performing schools
65+ years
around the world
90+ schools
in our care
200,000+ students
curricula delivered worldwide
UK, US, IB & Indian
educated at GEMS schools
500,000+ graduates
educators and specialists
24,000
at all Ivy League universities and Oxbridge in the UK
Alumni graduates
Global Teacher Prize awarded since 2015
$1 million
The launch of the 'Finest school in the world' - GEMS School of Research and Innovation
August 2025
Problem and Solutions
As the demand for private international schools surges, many investors and operators struggle to balance quality of provision with financial sustainability. This ultimately is prejudicial to the quality of education students receive.
GSM closes that gap. Backed by decades of GEMS Education experience, we deploy seasoned leaders and data-led systems in every school we partner with. The result: happier children, better outcomes, enriched communities, and for our partners, commercial success and a healthier balance sheet.
Services
We utilise our unique GSM ASPIRE model of school management. ASPIRE is a collection of systems, processes and procedures that brings together the best of what GEMS has developed over more than half a century of innovation. We can tailor the support we offer so that it is personalised to you. ASPIRE provides full end-to-end support to deliver a high performing school, from concept to realisation and then allows for an effective fully managed service.
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We take care of everything that gets a school off the ground and keeps it running: design and vision, construction advice, furnishing, leadership hiring, staffing plans, growth modelling, timetable design and enrolment strategies.
Reliable data and admissions flows, well-run estates, HR and ICT, asset and finance controls, plus risk, health-and-safety and incident reporting keep each campus on track.
Clear communications, community events, a culture of recognition, social presence, marketing and careers guidance connect students, families, staff and partners.
Consistent teaching routines, coherent curricula, data-led tracking, meaningful assessment and a culture of praise drive student achievement.
Strong behaviour and attendance protocols, mapped SEND provision, safeguarding, wellbeing and mentoring ensure every learner feels safe and supported.
Structured hiring, performance management and continuous professional and leadership development help teachers grow and stay.
Chair of Advisory Board
Chief Partnership Officer
Managing Director
Commercial and Finance Director
Senior Commercial Manager
Managing Director
Robert Tarn’s exceptional leadership has had a transformative impact on countless students in more than 50 schools as a Principal, Executive Principal, and Chief Executive. His deep commitment to improving schools and changing students’ lives aligns perfectly with GSM’s mission to provide life-changing education to as many children as possible. He was made CBE in the 2023 New Year’s Honours list for his outstanding services to school education.
Chief Partnership Officer
Paul Edmunds brings over two decades of leadership in education across the MENA region, with a history of forging partnerships that deliver tangible results. His work spans government, private, and non-profit sectors, where he has consistently aligned partnership strategies with institutional goals. At GEMS School Management, Paul draws on his expertise in stakeholder engagement, cross-sector collaboration, and market expansion to drive sustainable growth and innovation.
Chair of Advisory Board
Sir Nick Gibb is a globally respected education leader and former UK Minister of State for Schools, with over 20 years of experience shaping policy and raising standards. Now a Special Advisor to GEMS, he brings deep expertise in curriculum, pedagogy, and school reform to support world-class learning across international contexts.
Senior Commercial Manager
Sanjjna Nagboth is a Chartered Accountant (India), CFA (USA), and Company Secretary (India) with 10+ years of experience in corporate finance, M&A, and investment strategy. At GEMS Education, she has led key transactions including the landmark $6 billion Brookfield stake sale and the acquisition of schools from a leading KSA operator.
Commercial and Finance Director
Hardik Shah is a seasoned business strategist with 18 years of experience across Ernst & Young, Emaar, STS and GEMS Education. His expertise spans M&A, performance improvement, financial modelling, and strategic transformation, including leading key transitions and joint ventures in the GCC’s education and infrastructure sectors.
Chairman and Founder, GEMS Education
Entrepreneur, philanthropist and Chairman and Founder of GEMS Education, Sunny Varkey is a passionate educationalist who has devoted his life to raising the standard of education around the world and nurturing the genius in every child. He founded the Varkey Foundation in 2011 with the aim of underlining the key role that teachers play around the world. Initiatives include the US$ 1 million Global Teacher Prize, launched in 2015.
