Growth
Build for the next stage
Practical lessons on positioning, enrolment, expansion, teams and the operating choices behind sustainable growth.
PORTMAN Education Group presents
Education Founders Circle 2026
The room where education founders compare notes.
A closed-room forum for founders and leaders of K–12 schools, tertiary education institutions, tuition centres, learning centres and homeschool businesses.
Founder-focusedPractical insightCurated peer roomLimited seats
Why this circle exists
Growing an education business is different.
Education leaders balance learning outcomes, student and parent trust, talent, technology and commercial sustainability at the same time.
AI
Use AI where it matters
Real applications across learning, marketing, sales and operations, without vague transformation talk.
Capital
Prepare before you raise
What investors look for, how governance changes the conversation and what founders should fix before seeking capital.
Panelists
Operators, builders and capital advisers.
Experience across education growth, AI systems, investment, audit and capital readiness.
Growth
Dr Ernie Chen
Chairman & Founder · PORTMAN Education Group
Leads an education group spanning early childhood, K–12, tertiary education and AI-powered learning.
Growth
Dato’ Dr. Munirah Looi
Founder & Former CEO · Brandt International
Built Brandt International into a 1,500-person business across four ASEAN markets.
Capital
Edwin Fua
Partner · Navis Capital Partners
Investment Committee member focused on transactions across Southeast Asia.
Capital
Chin Kit Seong
Head of Audit · Crowe Malaysia
Experience in IPOs, due diligence, bond and sukuk issuances and statutory audits.
Capital
Yee Fook Weng
Senior Partner · Murad Yee Partnership
More than 25 years of practice across M&A, restructuring, capital markets, venture capital and private equity.
AI
Dr Charles Gregory
AI Architect for Education Businesses
Designs AI learning platforms and agents connecting education delivery with marketing, sales and operations.
AI
Dr Darren Gouk
Founder · AOne
Founded an EduFinTech company supporting more than 4,000 education centres and schools.
This is for you if
You are making the decisions.
The room is designed for founders and senior leaders who can act on the conversations that follow.
- You founded or lead a school, college, tuition centre, learning centre or homeschool business.
- You are building an academy, education service or multi-centre operation.
- You want practical conversations with peers, not a generic conference crowd.
- You are actively considering growth, AI adoption, capital or governance.
A deliberately small room
Request your place at the table.
Registration is reviewed to keep the conversation relevant for education founders and senior decision-makers.