INDUSTRY LEADERS PANEL
David Sampere
COO - Growth Director, France Langue
Jane Dancaster
Managing Director, Wimbledon School of English
Fernando Aguilar
Global Sales & Marketing Director, EC English
Tamsin Plaxton
Founder, Tamwood
Feroz Ali
President/COO, ILAC
Ben Delaney
Director of Schools Success at Edvisor
Our previous Industry Leaders Panel focused on Agency Perspectives. This time, due to overwhelming demand, we are bringing you the educators’ view on the future of student recruitment.
Topics include commission rates and discounts, online programs, educators recruiting B2C, dominant players in the school/agent ecosystem...and much more! Fill out the form to find out what this panel of leading educational institutions has to say!
Commission Rates and discounts
Is the current business model sustainable for schools? How much is too much and is dynamic pricing the solution?
Do we need to rebalance the institution/agent ecosystem?
Are institutions working with more or less agents nowadays? Which is better in terms of relationships with agents, quantity or quality?
Who will be the dominant players in student recruitment this decade?
Big master recruitment agencies? Online agencies? Institutions recruiting b2c? Other new players?
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COO - Growth Director at France Langue
Language learning is part of my DNA, my Grandfather opens the first “Spanish school for foreigners" in Spain in 1956. I have done a variety of tasks in language schools, from preparing “old-style mailing”, with brochures and envelopes, doing airport transfers, group leader for Juniors... and of course, also a language student from 9 to 19 years old. I have a double degree in international business, (France & Spain), I have always been working in Sales, from phones and electric bikes to automobile accessories…Since 2010, I’m more connected with Marketing and Sales for schools. After 3 years in Spain, I moved to France. I started as Account Manager (Spain, Switzerland, and Latam) and I’m now COO with a great team that made France Langue one of the best (if not the best!) school to learn French. I’m also Membership VP of IALC, an association where I feel at home and where I share information and knowledge with friends and colleagues.
Managing Director, Wimbledon School of English
I’m the Managing Director of Wimbledon School of English, one of the UK’s top English language schools, & the London Exam Centre, which provides public exams to clients in London & the South East. I started my EFL career as a teacher many years ago as I had fallen in love with Europe and wanted to be able to live & work there, & over the years I’ve worked in English language teaching & management both overseas and in the UK in a variety of organisations ranging from our own co-operative school based in central London, to a well-known UK group. I was Chair of English UK London for 15 years & have been a Trustee of English UK since 2004. I still care passionately about our industry & its survival and am actively involved in supporting and promoting UK ELT.
Global Sales & Marketing Director, EC English
Hello everyone! My name is Fernando (Fer) Aguilar. I have been involved with the language travel sector since I was 8 years old, when I joined my first summer camp. Since then, I have seen this business from almost all possible angles; Student: As a young camper for 5 summers, as a Boarder in a USA High School, as an adult French learner. Group leader: in the UK for 3 summers Agency: As a counsellor and Sales Director in Astex agency in SpainSchool: As a Latam and now Global Sales Director at EC (which has given me absolute orange blood 😊) Client: As a father of 3 kids that now attend summer school. All of these different perspectives have created in me a real passion for what we all do. Since my early days, I've seen the highs and lows of the industry - the boom years of the '90's and '00's, and the challenges, from SARS, to 9/11, and the seismic shifts we're experiencing today. In my latest role I have had the privilege of meeting and interacting with fantastic people and different stakeholders of this industry from all over the world; counselors, company owners, CEOS and directors, students, parents, teams,… And having met them is exactly why I have full hope of a soon-to-come recovery.
Founder, Tamwood
As co-founder of the Tamwood Group of companies, Tamsin has been a leader in the international education sector in Canada for 29 years. Tamwood operates: Tamwood Language Centres - a language school with three campuses in Canada, Tamwood Careers - a college offering work and study programs at three campuses in Canada, Tamwood International Camps - operating seven international summer camps, a winter camp and online junior programs in Canada and the USA, and GO International - a work and travel and volunteer program provider. Tamwood is still privately owned and operated by its founding partners. Tamsin works across the group of companies ensuring Tamwood delivers life transformative experiences for its clients and positive business results for the company. Tamsin earned both a Law degree and a B.A. focused in Business and Economics from Queen's University. Tamsin sits on the boards of the Global Women in International Education and the Plastic Bank Foundation and is a member of the Queen's University Law School Dean's Council. Tamsin Plaxton is an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2018 Pacific Region finalist. Tamsin is also a mother, passionate cyclist, ski addict and dog enthusiast.
President/COO, ILAC
Feroz Ai is a dynamic entrepreneur with 20+ years of executive leadership experience in New Zealand and Canada. Feroz has held governance and advisory roles in both private and public institutions and also serves as a director on the board of ILAC and British Columbia Council for International Education (BCCIE).
Director of Schools Success at Edvisor
Having grown up as the youngest child in a host family in Edinburgh, Scotland, I have been around international students for as long as I can remember! I followed in the footsteps of my Mum and eldest brother when it came to pursuing a career within international education and have worked in a variety of roles within schools including accommodation, enrolments, marketing, sales, operations, activity leading and teaching! As the Director of School Success here at Edvisor, my team and I look after the schools using the system and help them to get the very best from the platform. I am a terrible golfer, a lover of tacos and very much enjoy hosting discussions with fantastic panelists!