Governing Board Elections 2024

Biographical Data

Ijeoma Aghanya is married to Elspeth and they have 3 boys, Benjamin, Samuel and Alistair, who have all been students at Ecolint (LGB). Benjamin is currently in Year 12. Ijeoma grew up in Nigeria and in Scotland where he attended school and University. He has been in Geneva for the last 15 years, most of which was spent working within the financial services industry primarily in the Legal and Compliance sectors. He has enjoyed professional stints in London and Bermuda, working mainly for Banks and Asset Management companies.

Ijeoma is a qualified British Chartered Accountant with an MBA in Finance from Manchester Business School. He also holds the UK Investment Management Certificate (IMC). He currently runs his own Geneva based companies in the Health, Beauty (Swiss Nail & Spa SA) and Commercial Property sectors (PVI Offices). He is an Executive Director at PrivateTrust Partners SA, an M&A Boutique in Private Equity and Real Estate providing independent advisory services for cross border acquisitions and divestments for the small and middle market segment.

Ijeoma has a passion for tennis, boxing and playing the piano. He is a co-founder of the African Professional Network Switzerland and a registered “volunteer” in his local Commune in Geneva. 
 

What does Ecolint mean to you?

Ecolint represents excellence in terms of the quality of the teaching, the welcoming spirit of all the stakeholders and the happiness of our children. It is clear to me that having survived for the last 100 years is no mean feat, but it is incumbent upon us to ensure that we put the Foundation on the right footing to endure for the next 100 years. If we all pull together, we can achieve this.
 

What skills/expertise can you bring to the School?

As a qualified Chartered Accountant, I have extensive experience in the Financial Services sector and can use this to the advantage of our Foundation. I am a current member of the Board for the last 6 months and I have had a wonderful insight into the needs of our Foundation. I believe that I still have the passion and relevant skill sets to drive the necessary changes required to make our great school even better for our children, staff and parents.
 

Understanding that the Governing Board focuses on long-range and strategic issues, and not specific management, personnel, or curricular issues, how would you support the Ecolint Mission if you were elected to the Governing Board?

The Ecolint mission to educate students to be global citizens with the courage and capacity to create a just and joyful tomorrow together is indeed a just mission. Consequently, it is important to invest the time and energy required within the sub Committees, to drive through meaningful change. As a member of the Finance, Development and Strategic Planning Committees, I have devoted a considerable amount of time and energy to help our Foundation achieve its stated mission. There is much work still to be done.
 

The Ecolint Governing Board is the key governance body of the International School. What is your understanding of the tasks you are called upon to perform in this context? And, what particular skills and experience would you draw on to fulfil this role?

Supporting the Director General and his team, the Board will be responsible for evaluating the performance of the DG and setting his or her objectives. In addition, the Board will be responsible for helping set the tone and strategy for the school and will influence the quality of education for our children. The Board will also be involved in key stakeholder management with the DG and assist with fund raising as required for the Foundation. The Board is also responsible for ensuring that the Foundation is on a sustainable financial footing for the future. With my skills as a qualified Chartered Accountant, I can assist the Foundation in meeting its key objectives.
 

Fair and equitable access to an education of excellence such as that of the International School of Geneva is at the heart of the objectives on which the Governing Board must focus. What might your thoughts be on this matter at this time? Do you have any particular expertise that you could draw upon in such societal matters?

Fair and equitable access to an education of excellence is at the heart of my reasons for running for the Board. I am a current member of the Ecolint Endowment fund Steering Committee and the objectives of the fund include attracting funds to enable more students to access scholarships which is important for keeping a balanced and inclusive school. In addition, keeping fees at a reasonable level is equally important and we must not forget the parents who pay a lot of money to give their children access to our wonderful teachers and facilities. Keeping the fees fair and equitable for them is also crucial. This is why my experience as a qualified Accountant is helpful as I am a current member of the Finance Committee tasked with ensuring a sustainable and fair financial footing for our Foundation.
 

Ecolint aims to ensure a framework that serves to provide a distinctive high quality international education through which all students are helped to develop their abilities to the highest level of the potential. In your opinion, what are the different elements that are critical to this framework (buildings, interior and exterior spaces; technical supports and equipment; management team, teachers, and administrative staff; or others...)?

All stakeholders have a crucial role to play if we want to provide a distinctive high quality education. The teachers in particular have daily contact with our children and as such need to be adequately assessed, trained and incentivised to continue with the excellent job they have done for the past 100 years. We need to make the necessary investment in buildings and technology in all 3 campuses to ensure that ALL children in our Foundation get the same level of high quality education.
 

Ecolint embraces diversity and honours the unique voice and personal experience of all members of the community. What do you think of this statement in terms of your experience as a member of the community? In your opinion what should be the role of the Governing Board in strengthening inclusion of diversity in the Foundation?

The Governing Board has a key role to play here as it should be representative of our community, acting in the best interests of our Foundation without fear or favour.

Ecolint does embrace diversity but we could all do better. All members of our community do have a voice but do not always choose to exercise their right to use this voice. Consequently, much work remains to be done in encouraging all members of our community to speak up and to exercise their right to vote during Board elections as an example. For the previous Board elections, it appears that the Staff Association have chosen almost all Board members (Staff Association is simply better organised from a voting perspective in comparison to other stakeholders). This falls short of the key governance characteristic, namely "Participation" of all stakeholders in my opinion.
 

Are you aware of the financial information related to the Foundation? While efforts have been made, what else can be done in your opinion, to make the Foundation more sustainable in the long term continuing to ensure affordable fee structures while providing qualitative inclusive education in an effort to make global citizens and optimum capital development efforts?

I am aware of financial information related to the Foundation due to my current role in the Finance Committee. Consequently, it would make sense that all costs including the CCT are reviewed (perhaps protecting existing teachers rights whilst closing or modifying the scheme to new entrants as an example). The long term sustainability of our Foundation is linked to our ability to honour our commitment to these long term liabilities that grow annually. Financial re-engineering could be an option as well as a deeper evaluation of the current use of assets of the Foundation and how these assets e.g. Buildings could be better deployed during holidays, weekends etc. to ultimately increase revenues. Affordable fees for parents and excellent quality of education for our children must be part of our key priorities.
 

<< Back to list of candidates