Education Investment with Monde Nkosi

We’ve come to the end of this season of the Education Investment Podcast. Our 20 episodes have given us a front row seat in classrooms from South Africa to Nigeria, France, the UAE, India, the UK, the US, Australia, Denmark and many others. It has been a privilege to shine a light on leading innovators in this sector that we love and to learn alongside you, our listeners and supporters. Watch on YouTube

Pierre Dubuc (co-founder and CEO of OpenClassrooms) joins host Monde Nkosi to explore the role of technology and innovation in making quality education more accessible. Pierre explores OpenClassrooms’ innovative model of working hand-in-hand with employers to teach “tomorrow’s skills for tomorrow’s jobs”, helping students to get their first job, get promoted, switch careers, or get a better job. He advocates for the role of AI and online learning in making education more accessible and cost-effective, highlighting that the majority of higher education students in the US are studying online - a huge shift over the last two decades. Pierre also pays tribute to his fellow co-founder, Mathieu Nebra, who he describes as an extremely talented educator who can simultaneously teach, captivate, and inspire.

Pierre is co-founder and CEO of OpenClassrooms, one of the world’s leading providers of online education serving over 200,000 students from over 140 countries. Their mission is to make education accessible and their vision is to become the world’s leading apprenticeship and reskilling provider. Pierre is also a founding member of the Edtech Founders Club. He holds a Master of Science in Telecommunications Engineering from the National Institute of Applied Sciences of Lyon (INSA Lyon). Watch on YouTube

Thando Bakumeni (Head of SuperSport Schools) joins host Monde Nkosi to discuss youth sport in Africa. Thando reflects on the human side of youth sport - such as its role in communities and unearthing talent - and unpacks the commercial side of youth sport. He also shares the roots of his passion for sport and pays tribute to those who have shaped his journey.

Thando is the Head of SuperSport Schools, the leading broadcasting platform for youth sport in Africa. Founded in 2021, the SuperSport Schools App has rapidly grown to more than 1.3 million registered users. In 2024 alone, SuperSport Schools covered more than 4.5 thousand youth events in 3.5 thousand schools and clubs across more than 50 sporting codes.

Prior to SuperSport Schools, Thando was Senior Manager for Africa Sport at SuperSport covering a wide range of countries including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia. He started his career in sports marketing at Playmakers. Thando holds qualifications in Sports Management and Business Administration from the University of Pretoria and Wits University. Watch on YouTube

Amo Mocumi (Head of Growthpoint Properties’ Student Accommodation REIT) joins host Monde Nkosi to discuss purpose-built student accommodation in South Africa. Amo describes the importance of accommodation to student outcomes, explaining that it is more than just a bed - it includes a range of amenities to support student success, such as psychological assistance, academic support programs, good internet connectivity, and 24/7 safe environments. He highlights the significant and growing imbalance between fast-growing enrolments at universities and the limited number of residences to accommodate these students, advocating for private sector investors to play a role in fixing that imbalance. Amo also shares personal reflections on his journey and pays tribute to those who have shaped him.

Amo is the Head of Growthpoint Properties’ Student Accommodation REIT, which was launched in 2021 and has rapidly grown to 14 properties serving more than 10,000 students across private and public higher education institutions in South Africa, with a portfolio valued in the billions of Rands. Prior to Growthpoint, Amo was Head of Real Estate Acquisitions at the Public Investment Corporation, Africa’s largest asset manager. He started his career in construction at Triple C Management and real estate investment banking at Nedbank. Amo holds a BSc in Construction Studies and a BCom Honours in Financial Analysis and Portfolio Management, both from the University of Cape Town, and an MSc in Real Estate Investment from the University of Reading. Watch on YouTube

Tom Hardin (Founder of Tipper X) joins host Monde Nkosi to explore ethics education. Tom recounts his remarkable journey from hedge fund investor to FBI informant in some of the largest financial crime cases in history. Drawing on his unique experience and over 600 ethics training sessions he has delivered in 13 countries, Tom shares powerful and universal ethical lessons - insights that individuals can apply in their own lives and that corporates can embed into their cultures. Tom also shares his perspectives on the future of ethics training, including the use of AI for experiential sessions and simulations that deepen reflection.

Tom is the founder of Tipper X Advisors LLC, one of the world’s leading firms in ethics and compliance training. He has advised many investment firms and regulators on ethics and compliance. Tom is a recognised expert and his work has been featured all over the world such as at Stanford Law School, Harvard Business School, the United States Attorney’s Office, Compliance Asia, and the Middle East and Africa Compliance Association. Tom is a graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. His memoir, Wired on Wall Street, is set to be released through Wiley Publishing in February 2026. Watch on YouTube

Nicolas Badré, Founder of Copernia and former COO of Galileo Global Education, joins host Monde Nkosi to explore how education must reinvent itself in the age of AI. He highlights that the accelerating pace of change in the job market demands radical innovation and adaptability in the education system - for both learners and institutions.

Drawing on his experience leading operations at Galileo - one of the world’s largest higher education groups with over 300,000 students across 20 countries - Nicolas created Copernia, a new school dedicated to educational transformation. Born within Galileo and developed with partners including Macromedia University in Germany, emlyon Business School in France, European University Cyprus, and Noroff in Norway, Copernia’s flagship program - the Master of Innovation and Technology for Education - aims to prepare the next generation of education leaders.

Nicolas explains how Copernia and Galileo are driving a radical shift: putting students, not institutions, at the centre, and creating personalised pathways for lifelong learning. He also reflects on his own journey - from more than 25 years in industrial leadership including as CFO of Nexans, the world’s second-largest cable manufacturer, to shaping the future of education. Watch on YouTube

Rosan Bosch (Founder and Creative Director of Rosan Bosch Studio) joins host Monde Nkosi to discuss the design of future-proof learning spaces. She unpacks how physical space can be seen as a pedagogical tool for learning enhancement and how thoughtful design can nurture essential skills like creativity, collaboration and learner agency. Rosan explains her Built Pedagogy approach and offers personal reflections on her journey - including the origins of her passion for transforming education through design.

Rosan is a pioneer in reimagining educational spaces. She developed the Learning Landscape typology, transforming traditional classrooms into dynamic, flexible learning environments for 21st-century learners. Rosan's work spans 30+ countries, collaborating with leading educational institutions and governments across Latin America, the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Her notable projects include Vittra Telefonplan in Stockholm, Sweden, Universidad de la Libertad in Mexico (WURI 2025), the Western Academy of Beijing in China, and the Garzón School in Uruguay (WAF2025 finalist). She has authored several books including Play to Learn – Designing for Uncertainty and Designing for a Better World Starts at School, both widely referenced as guides for future-focused learning environments.

Rosan has been featured on CNN, FastCompany, and TED, and has served as a guest lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero. She was recently awarded an honorary doctorate by Hasselt University in recognition of her pioneering work in transforming educational spaces. Watch on YouTube

Dr. Mark Abell joins host Monde Nkosi to unpack the dynamics of international expansion in education. Mark explains why and how schools and universities venture abroad, highlighting the differences between for-profit and non-profit models and the key factors that separate successful expansions from failed ones. Mark also shares some personal reflections on his journey and pays a heartfelt tribute to teachers who have profoundly shaped his life.

Mark is a highly regarded international lawyer with over 40 years’ experience in international education. He currently acts as a consultant to a number of well-known educational institutions on the development and implementation of their international expansion strategies. Until 2022, Mark was Global Head of International Education and Franchising at the global law firm Bird & Bird. He has advised over 80 independent schools on international expansion including the likes of Westminster, North London Collegiate, Wellington College and Dulwich; as well as universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and Surrey. Mark has authored 13 books, including Educational Institutions – A Legal and Regulatory Handbook for Setting Up Overseas. Mark holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Southampton and a PhD from the University of London. Watch on YouTube

Matthew Butler-Adam (Regional Managing Director of Duke Corporate Education) joins host Monde Nkosi to discuss corporate education and Human Capital Theory. Matthew provides an overview of the >$100 billion corporate education sector globally. He breaks down the sector into various verticals, exploring their characteristics and growth profile. Matthew also describes the academic research into the reasons behind growing educational spend at individual and country levels, with a specific focus on Human Capital Theory. Matthew shares personal reflections from his journey growing up in Durban, South Africa, to attending some of the best universities in the world including Oxford and Harvard, and now to working in the sector he is passionate about.

Matthew is Regional Managing Director of Duke Corporate Education, leading their activities for the UK and Europe. Prior to Duke, he worked in strategy consulting and M&A advisory at Bain & Company and Deloitte. Matthew is the author of Cracking Corporate: Building a Career That You Can Be Proud Of and was identified as a top young businessperson by the Mail and Guardian. His educational background is in economics and education, including a Master’s in International Education Policy at Harvard and a Master’s in Development Economics at Oxford, where he was awarded the Luca d’Agliano prize for the best dissertation. His research was funded by the Laurie Dippenaar FirstRand Foundation and the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust. Watch on YouTube · Watch on YouTube

Pitso Mosimane and Moira Tlhagale (founders of Pitso Mosimane Youth Football) join host Monde Nkosi to discuss the intersection of football and education. They explore the importance of age-appropriate physical education in schools and describe how they are bringing to life their vision of developing players of the future who are well educated, socially adept, and technically equipped to compete at the highest level. They also share personal stories about their journeys and pay tribute to their teachers and mentors.

Pitso Mosimane and Moira Tlhagale are the founders of Pitso Mosimane Youth Football, which runs football development programs serving over 12,000 players and 100 coaches across South Africa.

Pitso Mosimane is a football legend. He played for three of South Africa’s largest teams in Jomo Cosmos, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Orlando Pirates. He then went on to play internationally for clubs in Greece, Belgium, and Qatar. He also had the honour of playing for Bafana Bafana, the South African Men’s National Team. After hanging up his playing boots, Mosimane went on to become the most successful football coach to come out of South Africa. Coach Pitso has 21 titles to his name, including an unprecedented 3 African Champions League titles and 2 Bronze medals at the FIFA World Club Cup, putting African football on the global map.

Moira Tlhagale is a successful entrepreneur. She is a Quantity Surveyor by profession and a Construction Project Manager. In 2004, Moira founded TMTJ Consulting and she subsequently worked on some of South Africa’s most iconic developments, such as being a leader of the technical team responsible for delivering the 10 stadiums used in the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup and being Programme Manager in the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative. She is currently the Managing Director of Pitso Mosimane Youth Football. Watch this episode on YouTube · Watch on YouTube