COGNITION LEARNING GROUP - Key Persons
Alastair has held many senior executive roles internationally with organisations such as Marks and Spencer, Mothercare, Virgin, The Body Shop, L'Oreal and Williams Sonoma Inc. in a career spanning 35 years. As an Independent Director, he has extensive governance experience and has been on many boards across many different geographies and sectors. He is currently chair of J Murphy and Sons, a $2 Billion construction business based in London, and operating in the UK, Australia, Canada and the US. He is also a Director of Fuller Smith and Turner PLC, the brewers, operating in London and the South of England; Sara Group, a French Lebanese family consumer business, operating across the Middle East; and Paper Plus, a NZ book retail co-operative with approx. 140 stores. He has also been Chair of Arran Arromatics, a Director of Fenwick Ltd., and White Stuff Limited, as well as being a Public Member of Network Rail in the UK and a member of The Body Shop Trust. Alastair has been Chair of Cognition Education Group since January 2017.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chairman of the Board
David joined the Cognition Education Group board in 2017 and brings over 30 years professional experience in New Zealand and abroad, across a number of different business sectors. As a Chartered Accountant with a B Com from Auckland University, David is an experienced CFO and Director having held a number of Finance leadership roles in local and multinational organisations. His experience encompasses strategy, mergers and acquisitions, business transformation and governance positions within Lion Nathan, Vodafone, SkyCity, Fisher and Paykel Finance and Fisher and Paykel Appliances.
Job Titles:
- Group Director of Education at Cognition Education
- Group Director, Education
Arran joined Cognition Learning Group in 2017 to lead the development and transition of our Visible Learning Plus business before taking up a position as Group Director, Strategy and more recently as Group Director, Education. He is an accomplished education-sector senior leader and researcher with more than 15 years' experience working in some of the top educational consultancies in the world. He previously held senior positions at Cambridge Assessment, Nord Anglia Education, Education Development Trust (formerly CfBT) and the British Council. Arran is now based out of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Dr. Arran Hamilton is the Group Director of Education at Cognition Education, with over 15 years of experience as an accomplished education-sector senior leader and researcher. He has held senior positions at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, Education Development Trust (formerly CfBT), the British Council, Nord Anglia Education, and a research fellowship at Warwick University. Arran has overseen the design, delivery, and evaluation of education programs across the Pacific Islands, East Asia, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, focusing on translating evidence into impact at scale.
Arran joined Cognition Education in 2017 to lead the development and transition of the Visible Learning Plus business before taking on the roles of Group Director, Strategy, and later Group Director, Education. He is currently based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. His recent publications include Making Room for Impact, Building to Impact, The Lean Education Manifesto and The Gold Papers.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, International Development
Ian joined Cognition Learning Group in 2017 having gained extensive commercial management experience from roles across New Zealand, Australia, Asia, the UK and the United States, having previously worked for NZ Dairy Group, Carter Holt Harvey, Les Mills International and Magic Memories. Based out of our Head Office in Auckland, Ian leads International Development. Ian has had considerable success creating new business and improving revenue and profitability in existing ones with extensive experience in sales, marketing, business development, supply chain management and successfully leading small and large cross-functional teams.
Job Titles:
- in 2013 As a Senior Manager
- Managing Director, Cognition Evolve
James joined Cognition Learning Group in 2013 as a senior manager in our publishing division, and becoming Managing Director in 2015, following the acquisition of the company by the Group. He has an extensive background in digital learning and publishing and has led subsequent growth internationally over the last few years. James is driving the expansion of the business across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Jo brings more than 25 years' experience in executive roles across New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Latin America and South East Asia, working with a number of well-known organisations both domestically and globally. As Global Head of HR for Fonterra, Jo led the people strategy for more than 22,000 employees across 50+ markets. She has also led significant businesses in both B2B and FMCG, and held governance positions with the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation and Kotahi Logistics. She currently sits as an Independent Member for the NZ Army Leadership Board, on the HR Advisory Board for Parliamentary Service and as an Advisor to the University of Auckland Business School Strategic Human Resources Programme. Jo holds degrees in Law and Spanish, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is Alumni of the Executive Programme, Singularity University.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director Australia and New Zealand
Rachel joined Cognition Learning Group in 2016 and leads Cognition Education in Australia and New Zealand. Rachel has held senior roles within both corporate and charitable sectors, providing marketing, sponsorship, communications and public relations expertise. Formerly a Marketing and Development Director for Auckland's largest multi-arts event, she also spent several years in a number of marketing roles within New Zealand Post Group and the technology and retail industries.
Sean Ryan joined as the Cognition Learning Group CFO following his role as Country & Finance Director of Australia. Previously, he had positions within the Group including Financial Controller and Commercial Manager. Sean's experience in the international and national education sector, as well as auditing, analysis, management accounting and acquisitions, brings a diverse range of expertise to his role with Cognition Learning Group.
Tina joined Cognition Learning Group in 2016 having previously completed successful tenures as CEO of Aspire-Education, Managing Director at Nord Anglia Education PLC and the founder of STEMtech Education. Tina has an extensive track record spanning 30 years growing award-winning education, professional services, EdTech and digital learning organisations across Europe, the Middle East, Australasia and Asia. Under her stewardship, the company has seen rapid expansion into Australia, the UK and the Pacific Island's.
Treacy joined Cognition in March 2022. She had an extensive corporate career working in senior roles in the people and culture area across multi industries, including FMCG, Health, Dairy, Media, and International Private Education where she worked for a global UK-based company, Study Group.
Six years ago Treacy left corporate life to support her son to set up and grow a business in the Manuka honey industry. Manukora.She remains very active in the business increasingly at the governance level. She is also an independent director for a Rural vet company with significant growth aspirations, Vet NZ.