16 July 2025
We are happy to announce the opening of our Middle East and North Africa (MENA) headquarters in Dubai, UAE, which will serve as our central hub to support clients across the MENA region.
We have seen the strong growth and outlook of the sector in the region, with prestigious international schools and higher education institutions making significant investments – many of whom AQ has already supported to establish and scale their presence. This is why we have chosen to demonstrate our commitment to supporting the region; AQ will be supporting educational organisations on the ground, to find and develop world class and committed leadership teams throughout the GCC and the wider MENA region.
With prestigious schools and universities having already developed strong foundations in the United Arab Emirates, with plans in place for international students to comprise 50% of their student population by 2033, and with Dubai aiming to become one of the world’s top ten global cities, Dubai is the perfect fit for AQ’s base and gateway to the region.
We are thrilled to announce we have also appointed Hugh Martin to Managing Partner MENA to lead the MENA HQ and regional client support. Hugh has worked in Higher Education senior management, both in the UK and internationally, for over 20 years, most recently as Registrar and Chief Operating Officer at the Asian University for Women, and Registrar and Chief Administrative Officer at The British University in Dubai. His wide sector and regional experience, combined with his strongly aligned values with AQ, made him the obvious appointment; you can find out more about Hugh in our short interview with him.
The expansion marks a significant and exciting milestone in AQ’s growth. Ed Pritchard, Founder and Managing Partner at AQ, commented:
“Opening an office in Dubai is a natural step for AQ – our client work in the MENA region has significantly increased in the last 12 months, therefore we wanted to ensure we had a base and team on the ground to strengthen our client engagement and build deeper partnerships. We’re delighted to welcome Hugh, with his vast knowledge, network and experience of both the sector and region, to lead our MENA client support. We hope that our presence will help to further develop world class education leadership teams in the region.”
For further information please contact Nicki Pritchard, Managing Partner, at nicki.pritchard@andersonquigley.com.
