PAUL CABRELLI

An educator specialising in business and economics, Paul moved from the classroom in his native Scotland, to school financial leadership in Hong Kong, where he was Director of Finance and Business at the Chinese International School (CIS) and then to New York as the Director of Business at the United Nations International School. At CIS, one of Asia’s leading IB schools, he oversaw a period of extensive expansion and construction, while at UNIS he was closely involved in the school’s facility redevelopment at a time of great change for the school. He also worked closely with board members from the U.N. and the wider New York community.

On returning to the United Kingdom, he became the International Business Director of Wellington College, managing Wellington’s overseas expansion project leading to the opening of two schools in China. Now, as an international consultant based in London, Paul gives advice to international and independent schools on a wide range of business, financial and governance issues. He has worked extensively with leading stand-alone international schools and private independent schools planning overseas expansion. Recent work for Consilium Education includes recruitment for Merchiston International School in Shenzhen, governance training in Japan, advisory work for a leading UK independent school in the process of preparing a Memorandum of Understanding with an investment partner in China, and 10-year financial projections for projects in Riga, Tokyo and Russia.

Specialist consulting areas

• Start-up project advice on education and business related issues
• Strategic financial planning
• Salaries and benefits benchmarking
• Establishment and expansion feasibility studies
• School debenture schemes
• School budgeting, forecasting and finance
• Salaries and benefits reviews for senior leadership, teachers and support staff
• Peer reviews of salaries and benefits
• School governance and self-review sessions
• Business office planning and organisation
• Staff recruitment