Anthony Partington - A Message from XCL Education's CEO

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A Few Words From Us

Welcome From XCL Education's CEO
Anthony Partington

As one of the largest premier education groups in Malaysia, we understand too well the need to evolve our approach to education. The reality is that many schooling systems were designed for a different age — the age of the factory, the assembly line. Students were taught compliance rather than self-regulation.

At our schools, we future-proof our students by equipping them with academic and lifelong learning skills so they can be agents of their own success. We want students not only to get great qualifications but to be equipped for life. That requires developing their skills and character. This is why we place an emphasis on holistic character development, so we can empower students with not just academic excellence, but resilience, interpersonal skills, and leadership qualities. We want to build them up so they not only get that interview for the next step in their learning or their dream job, but they also have the character and skills to secure those opportunities and thrive in them and life.

Above all, we work hard to ensure that our students feel safe and are happy. We set a high bar for safety and the welfare of our students. By following the highest international standards for child protection and for the prevention of serious harm and abuse to young people, we are meticulous in our checks on staff and in their training to ensure that the necessary steps and actions are taken to protect students and nurture their development in school and outside.

We hope that you will take the time to visit us, so that you too can experience what it is like to be part of us. I look forward to welcoming you to our schools soon.


ANTHONY PARTINGTON,
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, XCL EDUCATION MALAYSIA
XCL EDUCATION

Who Are The People
Behind Building
Future Leaders?

We are a Southeast Asia-focused group of private and international schools dedicated to prepare children for the jobs of tomorrow. Headquartered in Singapore, our family of schools includes high quality institutions such as XCL British International School in Penang, REAL Schools in Malaysia, XCL World Academy and XCL American Academy in Singapore and Vietnam Australia International School.

Our focus is on students in the region

Future leaders with great potential to create positive, lasting impact in this vibrant region.

Produce the best outcomes for our students

We are focused on bringing out the best in our students, not just with excellent, world class academics and co-curriculars, but also with the tools, mindset, and exposure they need to confidently navigate the uncertain future, find their own place, and leave their own mark in the world.

01

Holistic Character Development

02

Future-proof Curricula

03

High Academic Standards

  • GOVERNOR

    Gilles Mahe

    QUALIFICATION

    Gilles Mahe is the Group CEO of XCL Education. Gilles has worked in leadership roles across a multitude of sectors in Asia since 2000 and has spent ~20 years leading organizations and managing operations in Asia Pacific. He brings with him deep experience managing large service-oriented organizations, where he had the privilege of building diverse teams, working with passionate people, and nurturing a culture of collaboration and excellence.

    Gilles has ~7 years of extensive experience working in the education sector. Gilles was the Thailand & Myanmar CEO of Laureate International Universities, the world’s leading higher education provider, where he built and expanded Laureate’s activities in Southeast Asia. As the CEO, Gilles was instrumental in expanding Laureate’s presence in new geographies, launching innovative offline and online programs, turning around universities, scaling existing universities, and expanding the reputation and credibility of the overall group in Southeast Asia. As a father of three, he is a firm believer in the transformative power of education and the significant roles that schools play in shaping the lives of students and preparing them for what comes next.

    Prior to XCL Education, Gilles was the Asia Pacific CEO for OCS Group, the world’s largest family-owned facilities management services company. At OCS, he played a pivotal role in building out the leadership team, executing the commercial transformation of the business, and acquiring & integrating other facilities management businesses. He has also served as the Managing Director for Asia and Vice President for APAC of Sodexo Group, a Fortune Global 500 company that is the leading provider of Food and Facilities Management services.

    Gilles holds dual Post-graduate degrees in Business & Finance and Philosophy from the University of Paris-La Sorbonne in France.

  • GOVERNOR
    QUALIFICATION

    Marcel Van Miert is a Senior Advisor to TPG in Southeast Asia. Marcel has almost 3 decades of extensive experience working exclusively in the education sector.

    Prior to TPG, Marcel served as the Executive Chairman of Vietnam Australia International School (VAS) for ~8 years. Prior to VAS, Marcel spent 4 years as the Group CEO of WCL Group, a PE-backed school chain now part of Nord Anglia, and 3 years as the Managing Director of the Schools Division at Nord Anglia.

    Marcel has also served several other education companies in multiple capacities including Sommet Education (a network of hospitality schools), VUS (English Language Training Centers), EBS London (UK’s first private accredited Business School), INK Education, Sri KDU Schools, and Europreneur Consultants.

    Marcel received a Bachelor’s in Arts from Regent’s University London and MBA from Henley Business School in the UK.

  • GOVERNOR

    Anthony Partington

    QUALIFICATION

    Anthony is the Chief Executive Officer of XCL Education Malaysia. He completed his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) at Christ Church, University of Oxford. After leaving Oxford, Anthony worked in the City of London in public, media and analyst relations. A passion for English Literature and life-long learning led him to being asked to work first as a teacher as part of the reforms at a school in Bolton and then to Trinity College, University of Cambridge to train as an English teacher in 2002.

    He has worked at a number of schools in Cambridgeshire, England, including pastoral leadership and leading the internationally renowned English and media faculty across the Parkside Federation of academies in Cambridge. Anthony joined the Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT) in 2010 to support the improvement of Nene Park Academy, where he worked as Assistant Principal leading on the development of the sixth form, literacy, English as an additional language, special needs and latterly as the Vice Principal with responsibility for the curriculum, timetable and student achievement throughout the academy. In July 2014, Anthony was appointed as Principal of Stamford Welland Academy with the brief to deliver the ‘Stamford Free School’ vision. During his time here, the school secured its best examination results and Ofsted inspection judgment in its history. In September 2017, he became CMAT’s Executive Director of Education responsible for the quality assurance of all the academies and teacher professional development from initial teacher training to leadership succession planning and development.

    In February 2019, Anthony joined GEMS as the Principal of GEMS International School Tropicana Metropark, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Whilst completing a Masters with UCL Institute of Education, Anthony conducted research into and published on the teaching of literacy. He is a frequent conference speaker, presenting on school leadership and English teaching and editor of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ and ‘Twelfth Night’ in the Cambridge University Press Cambridge School Shakespeare series. Anthony believes in a whole education striving for academic excellence and great examination results, whist providing the experiences and building the character skills that student need to thrive in learning, work and life. In his spare time, Anthony enjoys travel, film, theatre, music, singing, running, and exercise.

  • GOVERNOR
    QUALIFICATION

    Experienced CEO with a demonstrated track record of creating shareholder value in the education management industry. Strong business development professional skilled in Business Planning, Entrepreneurship, Venture Capital, Management, Mergers & Acquisitions.

  • GOVERNOR

    Wan Hafiz Hamzah bin Wan Hussien

    QUALIFICATION

    En. Wan Hafiz Hamzah Bin Wan Hussien is a Senior Advisor to TPG Capital. He started his career with CIMB Investment Bank in 2004 where he experienced roles in the Group CEO’s Office, Investment Banking and a stint in Indonesia with CIMB Niaga. He subsequently joined Khazanah Nasional’s strategy team in 2016 where he worked on projects involving Khazanah’s investment portfolio and overall corporate strategy.

    En. Wan Hafiz Hamzah holds a degree in Economics from the University of Warwick.

  • GOVERNOR
    QUALIFICATION

    Datuk Ganendran Sarvananthan, is a Managing Partner at TPG Capital Asia and its Head of South East Asia. A distinguished scholar, he was an ASEAN Scholar, a Sultan Azlan Shah Scholar; and a recipient of the British Chevening Scholarship.

    A law graduate of University College London (UCL), he was the Head of Investments at Khazanah Nasional for a decade before he joined TPG in 2014. More importantly, Datuk Ganen has played a key role in TPG Capital Asia’s investment in Vietnam Australian International School (VAS) which is one of the fastest growing school groups in Vietnam.

  • GOVERNOR
    QUALIFICATION

    Mr Dominic John Picone is a Partner and Managing Director at TPG, based in Singapore. He has lived and worked in Asia since joining the firm in 2005 and, in that time, has been engaged with investments throughout the Asia Pacific region that represent more than $1.5b of committed equity capital.

    His involvement with current and past TPG portfolio companies includes Apollo Towers, Vietnam Australia International School (VAS), Myanmar Distillery Company / Grand Royal Group, PropertyGuru, 8990 (Deca Homes), BFI Finance, Masan Group, Fairmont Raffles Hotels, Bank BTPN, United Test & Assembly Center (UTAC), and CIMB.

    Prior to TPG, Mr Picone worked in the Investment Banking Division of Credit Suisse First Boston in Melbourne, primarily focused on mergers and acquisitions in Australia and New Zealand.

  • CHAIRMAN
    QUALIFICATION

    Tunku Ali Redhauddin Ibni Tuanku Muhriz, a graduate of both the University of Cambridge and Harvard University, is Chairman of Marlborough College, Malaysia; founding trustee and Chairman of Teach for Malaysia; and Pro-Chancellor at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia.

    In 2013, he was recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. Previously, he worked at both McKinsey & Company and Khazanah Nasional Berhad, and he currently holds other board and advisory roles at several corporations and non-profit entities including TPG Capital Asia.