Our people

Pragmatic. Dedicated. International.

It is our remarkable team that makes the difference.

Meet Our Partners

Arun Kanwar

Arun Kanwar

Managing Partner

Arun joined Cairneagle in 2015. His strategy consulting and commercial due diligence experience includes both LEK Consulting and PwC, where he has worked across various industry sectors. In addition, he has spent over eight years in industry – at Tesco.com and Bright Horizons – where he had hands-on experience of formulating and delivering on growth and operational goals. At Bright Horizons, he headed up the UK mergers and acquisitions function when the business added over 100 childcare and education settings. Arun has an MChem in Chemistry from the University of Oxford.
Jorge Amirola

Jorge Amirola

Partner

Jorge focusses on the education and media/technology sectors. He’s worked in international schools across four continents and has 20 years of consulting and industry experience, including roles with AMR International. His strategic work includes M&A advisory assignments (in transactions ranging from £10m to £1bn+), strategic reviews, market entry, product development, pricing and due diligence. Jorge holds an MSc and PhD (Summa cum laude) in Engineering and an MBA from CEIBS (Shanghai) and London Business School.
Sam Lecacheur

Sam Lecacheur

Partner

Sam joined Cairneagle in 2016 and now leads strategy and commercial due diligence assignments across the education sector in the UK and internationally. His recent experience includes work in nurseries, schools, higher education, further education, English language learning, education publishing, and education technology. Prior to Cairneagle, Sam was Content Lead for an educational mobile app company. He remains passionate about the potential for technology to improve educational outcomes, co-authoring the 2020 EdTechX Global Report. Sam has a Masters in Physics from the University of Oxford.
Ian Koxvold

Ian Koxvold

Partner

Ian was a partner at Cairneagle from 2008 to 2015, and rejoined the firm in 2025. In between, he led the Education Strategy practice at PwC for EMEA, and was Head of Strategy and M&A at Supporting Education Group, where he made four acquisitions and helped the group transform its market focus. Ian is on the executive council of BESA (the British Educational Suppliers Association) and is a member of the EducationInvestor Advisory Board. He has published extensive thought leadership in partnership with the trade press and independently. He completed a Masters in Engineering at Queens’ College, Cambridge.
Fionnuala Duggan

Fionnuala Duggan

Partner

Fionnuala Duggan joined Cairneagle as a Partner in May 2025. Fionnuala brings extensive executive experience in Higher Education, ed-tech, corporate training and publishing from both executive and non-executive roles. In her executive career, she held leadership positions at organisations including EMI, Macmillan, and Random House. In these roles, she led the organisation’s digital transformation, focusing on growing new technology-enabled businesses to significant scale. In leadership roles at Coursesmart, Informa and The Economist Group, Fionnuala ran online education and corporate training businesses, achieving strong growth across B2B and B2C channels. Fionnuala has served on the boards of INM plc, Mediahuis Ventures, Cognassist, Yale University Press, Elastik, London Metropolitan University, and Tomorrow University. She holds a BA Mod in Experimental Physics from Trinity College Dublin and an MBA from INSEAD.
Rupert Barclay

Rupert Barclay

Senior Partner

Rupert’s strategic advisory career spans 30 years working in consulting and industry. He spent ten years at LEK Consulting, the last five as a partner, working on a variety of strategy and M&A assignments in various industries. He followed this with spells as head of strategy and M&A at two top 50 UK companies, Allied Domecq and Reuters. He specialises in corporate and business unit strategy in education and B2B business information. He has an MA in Classics from Cambridge, an MBA with Distinction from INSEAD and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

Meet Our Team

Peter Friedman

Peter Friedman

Principal

Peter first joined Cairneagle in 2020 and rejoined as a Manager in 2025. With ten years of experience in education, he has advised companies, organisations, and investors on key initiatives. Before rejoining Cairneagle, he was the Head of Strategy & Operations at the International Chamber of Commerce and an Associate Director at EY-Parthenon. Peter’s education experience also includes leading market entry strategy in Asia for BASIS Global, a US K-12 international school operator. Earlier in his career, Peter was an investment banker in Hong Kong and a corporate lawyer in New York. Peter’s long-standing interest in this area stems from his belief that education can improve social mobility. He sees this potential firsthand in his role as a Governor for a state primary school. Peter has a B.A., with distinction, in Ethics, Politics, and Economics from Yale University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.
Alison Hinds

Alison Hinds

Principal

Alison joined Cairneagle in 2021. She has worked on assignments relating to UK and international school strategy, teacher CPD, higher education recruitment, and school and nursery commercial due diligence. Prior to joining Cairneagle, Alison was a secondary school teacher and middle leader. She completed her teacher training through the Teach First Leadership Development Programme and worked in state schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. Alison has a degree in Music from the University of Oxford, a PGCE in Secondary Education from Canterbury Christ Church University, and an MBA from Quantic School of Business & Technology.

Ewan Robertson

Ewan Robertson

Principal

Ewan joined Cairneagle in 2025 as a Principal having previously led KPMG’s Education Strategy business. With over 15 years of experience, he works with leadership teams and boards to help them answer their most challenging strategic questions. Ewan is experienced in leading deal and growth strategy projects across a range of education sub-sectors from Early Years to Higher Education and beyond, as well as adjacent sectors such as Student Accommodation, EdTech and Care. He has a first class Masters in Mathematics from the University of York and is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant.

Angeliki Zacharaki

Angeliki Zacharaki

Head of People and Operations

Angeliki joined Cairneagle in 2018, and she is leading multiple functions from People Management to Operations in a strategic level. Prior to Cairneagle, she worked in PR and as an executive assistant. Angeliki has a BSc in Business Administration from the Athens University of Economics and Business and a level 7 diploma in Strategic People Management. She is also a CIPD Associate member.

Madeline Alcock

Madeline Alcock

Manager

Madeline joined Cairneagle in 2018. She has worked on a range of strategy, vendor and commercial projects across the education sector, from school services to higher education, while she has completed a large number of projects in the childcare and school space. Prior to Cairneagle, Madeline worked in a variety of sectors, including IT software and transportation. Most recently, she ran a seasonal swim school. Madeline has a first-class Business (BSc) from the University of Bath.
Arash Fatemian

Arash Fatemian

Manager

Arash joined Cairneagle in 2021. He has worked on strategy and commercial due diligence projects across the education sector, and recent experience includes work in nurseries in both the UK and Europe, and international focussed education technology. Prior to joining Cairneagle, Arash enjoyed the extensive consulting experience in retail and consumer markets, working for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to multinational listed organisations. Arash has been a school governor at a secondary school for eight years. Arash has a BSc with honours in politics and economics from the University of Bath.

 

Amy Cooper

Amy Cooper

Manager

Amy joined Cairneagle in January 2022. Her recent work includes projects in international schools, adult education & lifelong learning, assessment and nurseries. Prior to Cairneagle, she worked in investment management. Amy speaks French, Spanish and Portuguese and has a BA in Modern and Medieval Languages from the University of Cambridge.

Robert Dancey

Robert Dancey

Manager

Rob joined Cairneagle in 2020. He has worked on a range of projects across the early-year sector, international schools, SEND schools, education publishing and education technology. Prior to joining Cairneagle, Rob was Head of Maths at two London secondary schools. He spent six years in the teaching profession, having completed the Teach First Leadership Development Programme. Rob retains a keen interest in the UK education system and is on the board of governors for a local primary school. Rob studied Geography at the University of Oxford, where he stayed for both his Undergraduate and Master’s degrees.
Sam Tansey

Sam Tansey

Senior Consultant

Sam joined Cairneagle at the start of 2022. He has worked on commercial due diligence and M&A advisory projects across the education sector, both in the UK and internationally. Prior to Cairneagle, Sam worked as a Business Analyst for an Italian startup. Sam has an MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics, and a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Durham University.
Kate Porter

Kate Porter

Senior Consultant

Kate joined Cairneagle in 2023. She has worked primarily on international projects, ranging from international schools in Spain to nurseries in Canada.  Before joining Cairneagle as a permanent team member, Kate completed an internship with us in 2022. Having tutored for 6+ years and regularly volunteered in schools during that time, she is interested in exploring the role public policy plays in issues facing education today – both here in the UK and internationally. Kate has a BA in English Studies from Durham University.

 

James Winship

James Winship

Senior Consultant

James joined Cairneagle in early 2022. He has worked on a range of cases across the nursery, school, and corporate education spaces. Prior to Cairneagle, he worked as a strategic transaction/advisor for a multinational engineering firm, focusing on providing commercial due diligence and market assessments to clients across the rail and Urban Air Mobility sectors. James has a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford.
Max Wood-Robinson

Max Wood-Robinson

Senior Consultant

Max joined Cairneagle in 2020. He has worked on strategy and commercial due diligence projects across the education sector in the UK and internationally. Prior to joining Cairneagle, Max spent a year travelling across Asia, funded by online tuition lessons. Max has a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford.
Lukas Moment

Lukas Moment

Consultant

Lukas joined Cairneagle in 2023. His project experience includes strategy work in EdTech both within the UK and internationally, as well as commercial due diligence projects in early years, K12 and SEND provisions. Before joining Cairneagle as a permanent team member, Lukas completed an internship with us in 2022 and previously interned at a tax advisory firm in 2020. He is interested in exploring how EdTech can enhance the opportunities in the lifelong learning space. Lukas has a first-class BSc in Business from the University of Bath.
Ruowei Ji

Ruowei Ji

Consultant

Ruowei joined Cairneagle in 2023. She has experience in strategy and commercial due diligence projects across the education sector in the UK and internationally. Prior to Cairneagle, she worked in strategy consulting and in the non-profit sector. She is interested in exploring the private sector in the education industry and making a positive and lasting impact on business and society. Ruowei has an MPhil in Sociology from the University of Cambridge, and a BSc with honours in Sociology from the London School of Economics.
Tom Duffield

Tom Duffield

Consultant

Tom joined Cairneagle in 2024 as a consultant and his experiences so far include work in UK schools, EdTech and the alternative provision and tutoring space in the UK. After leaving university Tom spent a year exploring different opportunities, working in strategic communications, teaching in an NGO Beirut and a short stint working in Japan. Tom retains a particular interest in SEND and public policy, following historic experience working in the SEND non-profit sector. Tom studied Economics and Management at the University of Oxford.
Rachel Greenwood

Rachel Greenwood

Consultant

Rachel joined Cairneagle in 2025 as a Consultant. Her experiences so far include work in nurseries and international schools. Prior to joining Cairneagle, Rachel was a Strategy Consultant at a boutique consulting firm, advising private equity and corporate clients across a range of sectors. Rachel is interested in how private education providers can scale sustainably and improve educational outcomes, as well as the role of policy in shaping the sector. Rachel studied Neuroscience at Harvard University, graduating with Honors. 

Andrey Kolesnitskiy

Andrey Kolesnitskiy

Consultant

Andrey joined Cairneagle in 2024 and is now in the role of Consultant. His recent experiences include commercial due diligence and strategy work in EdTech, international schools space and Early Years both within the UK and internationally. Before joining Cairneagle, Andrey completed an internship in a consulting firm and worked in a strategy/analytical role at a London-based FinTech. He is interested in exploring how digital transformation and global economic shift would affect EdTech and international schools space. Andrey has a Master in Finance with Distinction from the London School of Economics, as well as a first-class BSc in Economics and Finance from the University of London.
David Tucker

David Tucker

Consultant

David joined Cairneagle in Autumn 2024 having completed an internship earlier that year. He has worked on a range of education projects in the UK and internationally, primarily working in EdTech and the international schools market. Before working at Cairneagle, David had experience in political research and taught English at a Colombian university. David has a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Oxford.
Beth Brewer

Beth Brewer

Consultant

Beth joined Cairneagle in 2024 as a Consultant. Her recent experiences include work in EdTech, SEND schools, corporate funding in philanthropic organisations, and international schools. Prior to joining Cairneagle, Beth spent time studying in the Middle East and working in translation in Cairo. Beth retains a keen interest in international education systems and the impact of the increasing presence of technology on the education sector. Beth studied Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic and French) at the University of Cambridge.
Rehaan Bapoo

Rehaan Bapoo

Consultant

Rehaan joined Cairneagle in 2024. His recent experiences include work in due diligence on nursery and international school M&A, as well as strategy pieces for both schools and commercial clients. Prior to joining Cairneagle, Rehaan was the Head of Schools at Dukes Plus, the consultancy branch of Dukes Education. Rehaan retains a keen interest in the UK education system and its relationship to private equity, as well as the impact of political decision-making on education. Rehaan studied Law at the University of Oxford as an Undergraduate, before completing his Masters in Political Science at the London School of Economics.
Anna McFall

Anna McFall

Consultant

Anna joined Cairneagle in April 2025. She has experience in a range of strategy and commercial due diligence projects across the education sector, both in the UK and internationally. Before joining Cairneagle as a permanent team member, Anna completed an internship with us in 2023 and previously interned at a global health information company in 2022. She is particularly interested in the UK school landscape, SEND and the strategic growth of services to schools. Anna studied Business at the University of Bath.

Asim Shrestha

Asim Shrestha

Consultant

Asim joined Cairneagle in 2024. He has worked on commercial due diligence and strategy projects across the education sector, both within the UK and internationally. Prior to joining Cairneagle, Asim worked as an Investment Banking Autumn Analyst in the Leveraged Finance team at Credit Suisse. He also has experience in Technology Growth Equity Investing, as well as Equity Capital Markets (ECM) and M&A Investment Banking. Asim is interested in EdTech, driven by AI, lifelong learning, upskilling, and alternative education pathways. He sees opportunities in emerging needs like SEND, as well as the fragmented e-learning market, which is well-positioned for growth and consolidation. Asim graduated with a First-Class honours, reading BSc Economics and Finance at Queen Mary University of London.
Nafeesa Vasi

Nafeesa Vasi

Consultant

Nafeesa joined Cairneagle in 2025 and is currently a Consultant. Prior to joining the firm, she was a Business Analyst at Kearney, where she worked on strategy and management consulting projects across a range of industries. She also has experience in non-profit strategy, focusing on market access initiatives in the agriculture sector. She is particularly interested in the intersection of education, social impact, and strategic growth, especially how organisations scale and evolve to meet changing needs across the education landscape. Nafeesa holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Economics from the London School of Economics.

Francesca Dauri

Francesca Dauri

Consultant

Francesca joined Cairneagle in 2025 and is currently a Consultant. Prior to joining Cairneagle, Francesca worked as a Business Analyst at a boutique strategy consultancy firm in London, where she advised private equity and corporate clients across a range of sectors including; enterprise software, consumer goods, and industrials. Her projects focused on international expansion, organisational restructuring, and sales optimisation. Francesca has a strong interest in strategy consulting, education, and purpose-driven business. She has advised early-stage ventures in the blue economy and agri-tech sectors and is passionate about the intersection of business, culture, and social impact. Francesca studied at London Business School, earning a Masters in Management with distinction and receiving the LBS Women’s Merit Scholarship. She previously obtained a BSc in Economics and Management of Arts from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, graduating with first-class honours.

Daniella O Sullivan

Daniella O Sullivan

PA and Office Admin

Daniella joined Cairneagle in January 2024. She has over 10 years experience in PA and Office Management roles in the educational industry.

Explore a career with us

Our firm is growing, and we are looking for exceptional individuals to join our team. Read more about our recruitment process and roles, and apply through our website.

Careers

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