Appointing a Global CMO to lead Inspired Education Group’s international growth

Founded in 2013, Inspired Education Group is a global education investment group with a portfolio of over 125 premium private schools across six continents. Educating over 95,000 students, the group has established itself as a category-defining operator in premium education. 

Following a $1bn Private Equity investment in 2022, the business was valued at $5bn, with a clear ambition to scale to $10bn and prepare for a future IPO. 

As the group entered its next phase of accelerated global growth, Inspired Education Group identified the need for a Global Chief Marketing Officer to unify and professionalise its marketing capability. 

The remit was both strategic and operational: 

• Build and lead a centralised marketing centre of excellence of c.40 people 
• Partner closely with the global student admissions function 
• Drive lead generation, enrolments and parent engagement at scale 
• Introduce best-in-class, data-led marketing practices across a complex international footprint 

Crucially, the search was briefed at the end of November 2022 and there was a need to have made significant progress before the Christmas holidays.  

Providing a truly tailored search service, our partners were flexible in their approach. Modifying the traditional search model, they structured a solution that provided a consistent flow of interested and relevant candidates every week.  

Our partners conducted a highly targeted global search, focused on identifying marketing leaders with proven experience in fast-paced, consumer-led, multi-location environments. 

Rather than limiting the search to traditional education or services businesses, the brief deliberately prioritised candidates from: 

• Occupancy-driven models (e.g. airlines, travel, car rental, hospitality) 
• Physical or location-based consumer brands (e.g. retail, hotels, events, leisure)

This ensured exposure to leaders experienced in balancing brand, performance, demand generation and operational complexity at scale. 

Within four weeks we delivered: 

• A detailed global market map of 150 senior marketing leaders 
• A weekly, curated flow of high-quality, pre-engaged candidates 
• Transparent reporting and regular alignment with stakeholders

Within four weeks, Inspired Education Group interviewed 11 shortlisted candidates, culminating in a successful offer shortly after the Christmas period.  

3Search Executive successfully appointed their Global Chief Marketing Officer capable of building and leading a world-class international marketing function, aligned to the Group’s long-term growth and IPO ambitions. 

The appointment marked a critical step in professionalising Inspired Education Group’s global marketing capability.