Chief Operating Officer (COO) in Dubai

Job: Chief Operating Officer (COO), Scholars International Group (SIG)

Industry: For-Profit-Academia/Education

Location: Dubai (United Arab Emirates, UAE) is HQ with 3-5 schools (Middle East and future India)

Salary: $235-$270K equivalent for US or European, respectively.

**$150,000/yr official salary, but Dubai is tax free, so for Europeans it is = $270K

& for Americans it’s = to about $235K, in resp. markets, given tax benefit of Dubai

*US citizens pay US govt 33% tax for each dollar above $82,400. 0% under it.



1. Company Info: Scholars International Group (SIG)

· SIG is for-profit system of schools across the UAE with future expansion across Middle East & India.

· Founded in 1976, it is one of the oldest educational institutions in the UAE & Top 3 most prestigious

· Currently, expanding from 1 to 3 schools (2007-08), with 5 projected by end of 2009 around region. Long-term goal is 20 schools in region by 2015 (Middle-east gulf countries – the safe ones – and India)

· High growth opportunity, entrepreneurial work environment

· Operating budget of $20M, growing with each school opening

· British curriculum, but new schools will also offer American h.s. curriculum

· Link for company: www.scholarsinternational.com. Link for first school: http://www.dubaischolars.com/





2. Profile of Individual?:

· US, UK, Canadian, Australian, or European citizen

· MBA or significant business experience a must

· Passion for academia and/or education

· Hands-on manager

· Entrepreneurial, problem-solver

· Great communicator & face to the community of Dubai society – government, education, social.

· Experience with managing operations, P&Ls, and people

· International perspective, scope, OR work-experience

· Looking to leave their mark and contribute to society and really develop something.

· Time commitment would be 5+ years. Not contractually, but philosophically going into it.

· Understands when to be patient with cultural challenges of working in foreign countries

· US or UK high school educated.

· English is fine - no foreign languages required, as city of Dubai and schools all operate 100% in English





3. For more information, please contact me or directly to Ashwin Verma:

· Juan Luis Betancourt ( JLBetancourt@heidrick.com ), 212-551.1625

· Ashwin Verma (ashwin@scholarsinternational.com ). Owner & CEO, Scholars International Group