Cognita has announced the appointment of David Baldwin as Group CEO with immediate effect.

David joined Cognita in 2018 and has held senior leadership roles across the UK and Middle East. Most recently, as CEO of Cognita Middle East, he led a period of significant growth, expanding the regional network to 14 schools across five countries, serving more than 23,000 students. He is recognised for his deep expertise in K–12 education and strong understanding of the group’s culture and communities.

Jacob Polny, CEO, Jacobs Capital & Chairman of Cognita’s Board of Directors commented: “We are truly delighted that David will lead Cognita into an exciting new chapter. His appointment will bring stability, continuity and optimism to the company. He leads with purpose, operates with integrity, and as a passionate educator, never loses sight of why we do this work.”

David Baldwin, Group CEO, Cognita, added: “It is an enormous privilege to step into this role, for which I am incredibly proud and grateful. For more than twenty years, education has been my passion and life’s work and over that time, I have seen first-hand the brilliant things people do every single day to help schools truly thrive. I am excited to build on the strong foundations, help our schools focus their energy on what matters most – the students, and build a culture where people feel trusted, supported, and proud of the difference they make.”

Following a comprehensive global search, David was selected as the standout candidate to lead Cognita into its next chapter. The Board thanked Andreas Tolpeit for his service as Interim Group CEO; he will resume his role as Group CFO. Stuart Millman has been appointed CEO, Middle East (Interim).