Proven K–12 Performance at Scale

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.

“With a dual focus on forging new partnerships and driving implementation excellence, I spearhead initiatives that bring our 65 years of educational expertise to life. My role is to architect scalable growth for our partners—launching flagship schools, elevating academic outcomes, and ensuring sustainable impact across our global network.”

Sherihan Khalil is a Senior Executive driving global business development and project management for a premier education partner to investors, developers, and governments. Leveraging 20 years of experience
and the company's 65-year legacy,
she architects scalable ventures that transform educational access and quality—from launching new, financially sustainable schools to optimising academic performance
and enrollment for existing
institutions worldwide.

A strategist at the intersection of investment, policy, and implementation, she has led high-stakes initiatives across the Middle East, South Asia, and the United States. Renowned as a trusted advisor, Sherihan combines strategic rigor with on-the-ground expertise to deliver resilient, equitable, and margin-protecting outcomes for partners, having optimised $100M+ in funds and designed systems impacting millions of beneficiaries. She holds a Master’s in Education from Long Island University.

My role is to ensure that every school we support is positioned for long-term success; academically, operationally, and financially. That means helping clients develop the right school product, in the right location, at the right price point and scale, while ensuring sustainable returns and measurable outcomes that make partnering with GEMS School Management genuinely value accretive.

Ryden Aranjo is Vice President – Commercial, Growth & Business Planning at GEMS Education and leads the commercial and investment function of GEMS School Management. With over 15 years’ experience across investments, strategy, and corporate finance, he has helped GEMS expand its footprint and unlock significant value creation through growth. Ryden specialises in market research, financial feasibility, school positioning, pricing strategy, capital efficiency, and portfolio growth, working closely with investors and operators to translate education strategy into commercially successful and scalable institutions.

“We partner with governments, developers, and innovators to build world class schools that inspire learners, enrich communities, and set the highest standards.”

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.

Nedaa Belal is the Director of Partnerships for the Levant and North Africa region at GEMS School Management (GSM), where she leads strategic initiatives to expand access to high-quality international education across emerging and growth markets.

She brings a strong cross-sector background spanning education leadership, safeguarding, and corporate management. Nedaa holds a degree in English Language and Literature from Damascus University and an MBA from the University of Hull. She began her career as a senior manager with BMW in the Middle East before transitioning into the education sector in the UK.

Prior to joining GEMS, Nedaa held senior leadership roles at a leading boarding and day sixth-form college in the City of London. She served as Head of Safeguarding and Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), where she led safeguarding strategy, compliance, and multi-agency partnerships. In parallel, she led the GCSE department for 19 years, overseeing both academic and pastoral provision for Year 10 and Year 11 students. During her tenure, she played a key role in multiple Ofsted and ISI inspections, contributing to the college achieving an Outstanding rating.

Nedaa continues to contribute to the UK safeguarding sector as a member of a national safeguarding editorial panel. She also played an instrumental role in the development of a safeguarding app now widely used across schools nationwide.

In her current role, she focuses on building strategic partnerships, supporting market entry, and developing sustainable education models aligned with regional priorities and long-term growth.

Nurmukhammed Dosybayev brings 17 years of education leadership across three fronts — building world-class schools from the ground up, elevating the performance of established institutions, and shaping public-sector education reform — to his role as Regional Director for Central Asia at GEMS School Management.

As founder and CEO of Astana International Garden School, he delivered an $11 million greenfield K–12 campus and scaled enrolment from 40 to 800 students, securing a Forbes Kazakhstan Top-10 ranking before a successful exit. He is also founder of Hyperion, an international boys’ boarding school based in Kazakhstan, and has advised leading private schools across the country on academic and commercial performance.

Nurmukhammed’s public-sector experience spans both municipal and national levels: he served as Deputy Head of the Education Department for the City of Shymkent, as Independent Director of JSC Bolashak — Kazakhstan’s national scholarship operator — and as a member of the Public Council of the Ministry of Education. He holds an MPhil in Education from the University of Cambridge.