What Does GEMS Education Do?

Total employees14855
HeadquartersDubai
FoundedN/A

GEMS Education is one of the world's oldest and largest K-12 private education providers. Founded in 1959 by the Varkey family, it now operates a global network of award-winning schools across multiple countries, primarily in the Middle East and North Africa, but also with presence in Asia, Europe, and North America. GEMS is dedicated to nurturing students to become well-rounded individuals and global citizens, offering a variety of international curricula (including British, American, IB, Indian) and focusing on academic excellence, innovation in teaching, and holistic development. Their mission is to put quality education within the reach of every learner.

Where Is GEMS Education's Headquarters?

HQ Function

Global headquarters overseeing international school operations, strategic planning, curriculum development, teacher training, marketing, finance, IT, and corporate governance for the GEMS Education network.

Notable Features:

Modern, purpose-built facility located in Dubai's prominent Sheikh Zayed Road business district, designed to support global operations with advanced technology and collaborative workspaces.

Work Culture:

A dynamic, multicultural, and collaborative environment focused on innovation in education, continuous professional development, and upholding core values such as leading through excellence, growing by learning, and global citizenship. Employees are driven by a mission to provide quality education.

HQ Significance:

Serves as the central command for one of the world's largest private K-12 education providers, critical for coordinating strategy, quality standards, and operational excellence across its diverse international school portfolio.

Values Reflected in HQ: The HQ's strategic location in a global hub, its modern infrastructure, and its focus on fostering global connectivity reflect GEMS' values of leadership, excellence, innovation, and its commitment to being a forward-thinking global education organization.

Location:

GEMS Education supports a vast global network of schools, primarily concentrated in the Middle East (UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia) and North Africa (Egypt), with additional schools and operations in Asia (India, Singapore), Europe (United Kingdom, Switzerland), and North America (USA). Functions supported globally include school operations management, teacher recruitment and professional development, curriculum design and implementation across British, US, IB, Indian and local curricula, technology integration in education, and strategic partnerships to enhance learning experiences worldwide. They cater to students from diverse nationalities, emphasizing inclusive education and global citizenship.

Street Address:

Sheikh Zayed Road, Next to Business Bay Metro Station, P.O. Box 8607

City:

Dubai

State/Province:

Dubai

Country:

United Arab Emirates

Where Else Does GEMS Education Operate Around the World?

Chicago, IL/USA

Address: 900 N Franklin St, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60610, USA

To establish and expand GEMS Education's presence in the North American K-12 education market, offering its distinct educational philosophy and international curricula to US students and families.

London & various locations/United Kingdom

Address: Administrative functions are distributed, supporting a network of GEMS schools across the UK. Key operations are often linked with flagship schools in London and other major cities.

To provide high-quality private education within the competitive UK market, leveraging GEMS' international expertise and resources to deliver excellent learning outcomes and student well-being.

Various Cities/India

Address: Regional support offices and flagship schools in major Indian cities like Gurgaon, Kochi, etc., coordinate operations for GEMS schools in India.

To provide high-quality K-12 education in India, contributing to the development of students with strong academic foundations and global perspectives, aligning with the growing demand for private education.

Buying Intent Signals for GEMS Education

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading GEMS Education? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, GEMS Education' leadership includes:

Sunny Varkey - Founder & Chairman
Dino Varkey - Group Chief Executive Officer
Zafar Raja - Group Chief Financial Officer
Margaret Atack - Group Chief Education Officer
Elmarie Venter - Chief People and Operations Officer

Who's Investing in GEMS Education?

GEMS Education has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Brookfield Asset Management
Varkey Group (Founding Family)

What Leadership Changes Has GEMS Education Seen Recently?

Hire2
Exits0

GEMS Education has made key strategic appointments in its executive team over the past year to bolster its leadership in finance and operations, supporting its ongoing growth and educational mission.

New Appointments:

Zafar Raja, Zafar Raja appointed as Group Chief Financial Officer to lead GEMS Education's global finance function.
Elmarie Venter, Elmarie Venter rejoined GEMS Education as Chief People and Operations Officer, bringing extensive experience in HR and operations.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byGEMS Education?

Discover the tools GEMS Education uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

GEMS Education Email Formats and Examples

GEMS Education primarily utilizes the email format [first_initial].[last_name]@gemseducation.com (e.g., j.smith@gemseducation.com). This is a common structure for large international organizations, facilitating standardized communication across its extensive network of schools and corporate offices. Other less common formats might exist depending on the department or region.

[first_initial].[last_name]@gemseducation.com

Format

j.doe@gemseducation.com

Example

85%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About GEMS Education?

ReutersFebruary 7, 2024

Brookfield to acquire minority stake in Dubai's GEMS Education

Brookfield Asset Management has agreed to acquire a significant minority stake in GEMS Education. The Varkey family, founders of GEMS, will retain a majority stake. This investment aims to support GEMS's continued growth and expansion in the education sector, with the deal valuing GEMS at approximately $6 billion....more

Gulf NewsAugust 30, 2023

GEMS Education profits surge as student enrolment rebounds

GEMS Education reported a significant increase in profits for the fiscal year ending August 2023, largely driven by a strong rebound in student enrolment across its network. This growth highlights the increasing demand for private education in its key markets....more

Khaleej TimesDecember 5, 2023

GEMS Legacy School (formerly The Kindergarten Starters) Achieves 'Outstanding' DSIB Rating

GEMS Legacy School in Dubai (formerly The Kindergarten Starters, renamed in 2021) was awarded an 'Outstanding' rating by the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB), a significant achievement reflecting GEMS Education's commitment to high academic standards and quality of education across its schools....more

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