New Chief Executive Officer appointed at Sommet Education

APPOINTMENT

Sommet Education has appointed Spencer Coles as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Sommet Education is a global network of hospitality management and culinary arts institutions, including École Ducasse, Glion Institute of Higher Education, Les Roches, Indian School of Hospitality, and Invictus Education.

In his new role, Coles will be responsible for leading the group’s overall strategy, operations, and long-term growth initiatives across its international portfolio of institutions. His mandate includes strengthening academic offerings, supporting innovation in hospitality education, and enhancing student experiences across markets.

Coles brings more than 25 years of senior leadership experience in private international higher education. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer of the Mander Portman Woodward (MPW) group of colleges. During his tenure, he led significant international expansion, scaling overseas growth fourfold within five years. He also developed university partnerships, including a collaboration with a top global university for arts and design in London, oversaw major infrastructure investments, and managed merger integration following MPW’s acquisition by Kaplan International.

Earlier in his career, Coles held senior leadership roles at Regent’s University London. He had revenue responsibility across all seven academic schools and contributed to sustained growth in student enrolment over a ten-year period. His work included launching new master’s programmes in areas such as Luxury Brand Management, Global Banking and Finance, and Entrepreneurial Management, as well as supporting the university’s achievement of UK degree-awarding status.

I am honoured to join Sommet Education and look forward to working with the team to drive further innovation, growth, and exceptional student experiences across the group.

–Spencer Coles