Madaares appoints new CEO to spearhead aggressive growth strategy

Azzam was CEO of Beacon Education before its acquisition by Madaares earlier this year and was appointed to his new post at a meeting of the Madaares Board of Directors on 1 September 2007.

Madaares recently acquired Beacon Education, a leading provider of primary and secondary education in the Gulf region. The merger came as part of Madaares' strategic plans to consolidate its position by bringing on board successful business models and major players in the region.

"Madaares identified Beacon as a high quality operator with shared values and a management team with a strong drive and capacity to complement our vision. As a combined entity, the two companies are better equipped to make a significant impact on the UAE's educational market, delivering world-class standards of education to as many students as possible," said Nasser Bin Hassan Al-Shaikh, Board Chairman of Madaares.

In addition to being appointed as CEO of Madaares, Azzam has also been appointed as the Chairman of Beacon Education, which continues to function as an operating arm of Madaares.

Commenting on the appointment, Al-Shaikh said: "At this crucial juncture, with the company poised to embark on a very ambitious growth plan, it is important that the company is led by someone with in-depth experience in the regional education sector."

Born in Lebanon and raised in Dubai, Azzam served as the headmaster of the International School of Choueifat in Dubai for four years before joining the Middle East office of McKinsey & Co. While at McKinsey, he developed expertise in educational public policy and supported the development of education reform strategies for several Middle Eastern countries. Following that, he held the post of CEO at Beacon Education since the company's inception in 2002.

Azzam has a Masters degree in theoretical physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston.