• Bharat Mansukhani elevated to the role of Divisional CEO for the Middle East and Europe
  • ISP appoints educationalist Mick Gernon as the Managing Director for the Middle East

Dubai (UAE): The International Schools Partnership (ISP) has reaffirmed its commitment to the Middle East by strengthening the regional leadership team to drive the next phase of growth. Accordingly, ISP has elevated Bharat Mansukhani to the role of Divisional CEO for the Middle East and Europe, and Mick Gernon has been appointed as the Managing Director for the Middle East.

Mr. Gernon will be responsible for leading ISP’s growth across the region including its flagship schools in the UAE and Qatar, while Mr. Mansukhani will continue to provide strategic counsel and guidance in accelerating the growth of the organisation in the region and Europe.

Mr. Gernon has over 30 years of experience in senior and executive leadership roles, which include working with business leaders, universities, government departments, the Royal Household, and leading educationalists in driving innovative and transformational practices, by ensuring strong organisational culture and effectiveness.

He has led many schools in the UK and Dubai and brings extensive experience in managing schools with different curricula, including the UK, American and IB. He also has extensive commercial and corporate experience having served as a Principal Advisor for Schools and Local Authorities with KPMG’s Government Advisory (UK), Department for Education Consultancy, and four Principalships. He brings a combination of outstanding educational, financial, commercial, and leadership experience across public and private sectors.

Mr. Mansukhani said: “ISP is driving an ambitious growth strategy in the region by drawing on our experience and differentiating strengths to support the focus of building and supporting our schools to be schools of choice for the community.  We will be adding more schools to our Middle East portfolio and will be looking to partner with more schools to drive school improvement and growth through our unique approach. As our transformational journey continues, we are looking at adding expertise to deliver value across all touch points and for all our stakeholders – our students, our staff, our families and the community at large. Mick has the right balance of commercial and educational skills, as well as extensive experience, to help us in achieving these goals.”

Mr. Gernon added: “The educational sector is witnessing transformational changes, especially after the way schools have handled Covid. ISP has continued to raise standards in education delivery, and we are looking to further enhance our presence in the Middle East to support the strategic growth goals of regional governments, as well as those of our global group. With a focus on future-focused technologies and their impact on learning, upskilling youth, preparing our children for the jobs of the future, and ensuring students are central to all we do, we will continue to bring innovative approaches to education while ensuring our schools are schools of choice in the region.  I am looking forward to building on the success that Bharat and the team have already achieved.”

Mr. Mansukhani joined ISP in 2015 and is an experienced senior professional with twenty years of experience working in Private Equity, Investment Banking and Education Management. Under his leadership, the region has seen significant growth with new builds and acquisitions being added to the ISP portfolio. Prior to joining ISP, he was a Vice President at NBK Capital Partners, a Dubai-based alternative investment firm in the MENA region. 

ISP was founded by an experienced team of committed educationalists and operators who have worked together over many years. ISP have now expanded to 57 schools delivering multiple curricula and building on local brands and reputations with around 50,000 students and 8,500 staff located across 17 countries.