Mr Andre Casson

Andre was appointed as the Head of School at AIS in January 2018. Prior to this he had roles as School Principal (November 2014 to January 2018) and Head of Secondary School (2012 to 2014). He brings 25 years’ education experience to the School, teaching in independent educational institutions in Australia and Asia.

Andre began his teaching career at Christian Brothers Agricultural School Tardun, a small rural boarding school in Western Australia. He was appointed as the school’s Sportsmaster and taught Years 8 – 10 Science. After two years Andre was promoted to the position of Deputy Principal.

Upon returning to Perth Andre gained a position as a teacher of Science and Senior Physics at Aquinas College, an independent boy’s boarding school. While at Aquinas he was appointed to the position as Head of Science and Head of Bryan House. It was through these positions that Andre gained an insight to the important link between curriculum and pastoral care to ensure positive educational outcomes for the students.

After six years at Aquinas Andre took the opportunity to work at a new school in China, Dulwich College Shanghai. He was appointed as one of the inaugural staff members to the position of Deputy Head of Senior School. At Dulwich Andre developed a passion for international education and an insight into the challenges confronted by students in a third culture setting. During Andre’s tenure at Dulwich the Senior School grew from an enrolment of 120 students in Years 7 – 9 to its capacity of 700 students in Years 7 – 13. Furthermore, during this period two cohorts of students graduated from the school with the IB Diploma Programme producing impressive results.

In 2010 Andre returned to Australia to commence the position of Deputy Head of Senior School at Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) in Brisbane, before moving to Singapore to begin his career at AIS.

In 2017 Andre was granted a sabbatical to study in the General Management Program at Harvard Business School. This course provided him with valuable insights in the areas of leadership and strategic direction which are key components of his current position as Head of School.

Andre lives in Singapore with his wife Jodie and two young children, Jaxon and Remi who both attend AIS.

Dr Edward Groughan

Dr Edward Groughan commenced as Principal of AIS in July 2017. He is no stranger to the world of international education, having been a Principal at four well-regarded schools across Australia and Asia (Pulteney Grammar School and Pedare Christian College in South Australia; Matthew Flinders Anglican College in Queensland and Dulwich College in Shanghai).

Eddie’s teaching career began at the Sydney Grammar School where he taught Science and Physical Education from K-12. He has also been a Deputy Headmaster at Aquinas College, and a Head of Sport at the Hale School in Perth, Western Australia.

In his academic endeavours, Eddie holds a Doctoral degree in educational history with a thesis on the social effects of the Great War. His university association includes a year, as an Associate Professor, teaching and devising units of study in a Master’s of Educational Leadership program at the Australian Catholic University. 

Eddie believes that learning is a means to self-fulfilment. As an insight to the belief, Eddie was a late starter to study beyond school, gaining a Diploma of Physical Education at the age of thirty before progressing to a Doctorate over the subsequent fourteen years.

Beyond schools and formal education, Eddie has been a Hawaiian Ironman, has taken part in a number of endurance events and was a first-grade rugby player for the Gordon club in Sydney. He remains keen on his fitness and guitar.

Eddie is married to Krystie with four children, two of whom attend AIS. 

PJ was appointed as the Managing Director at AIS in January 2019 where he is responsible for the overall Operations function of the school. PJ returns to AIS where he was initially a teacher in the Secondary School in 2005 and 2006 prior to embarking on a corporate career in various regional senior leadership roles in Asia. PJ brings experience to AIS as both an educator and a senior corporate leader based in Singapore since 2003.

PJ taught at AIS after ending his professional football career in Singapore where he played previously in Malaysia and Australia. PJ also captained Australia at the 1996 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Spain.

Following the completion of his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Western Australia, Graduate School of Management, PJ forged a successful corporate career in regional senior leadership and management positions with ANZ bank, Nielsen, and more recently Catapult. Following graduation with his MBA, PJ was a Tutor and Assistant Lecturer at the Graduate School of Management. PJ brings with him to AIS a breadth and depth of knowledge in areas of leadership, management, business operations, sales, marketing, banking and strategic business development, in addition to his prior knowledge of AIS and Singapore as a former staff member.

PJ has combined his corporate experience with a successful on-screen television career covering football in the region since 2004, currently with FOX Sports. PJ has also contributed to the Australian, New Zealand, and wider Singapore community through his long-term presidency of the Australian and New Zealand Association (ANZA) since 2008. This is a volunteer elected position responsible for providing strategic leadership and vision to the Association.

In addition to his MBA, PJ also holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Canberra, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas through a football scholarship following the completion of his secondary education, and an Advanced Diploma of Financial Services from Kaplan Australia.

PJ is positioned to add significant value to our AIS community as he takes on the responsibility for providing strategic leadership to the Operations function at AIS.

PJ has a wife, Jo who also works at AIS in the Admissions department and they have a son, Ashleigh.

Ms Kalea Haran

Kalea is an experienced educator who worked in Education for 19 years in Australia, the UK and Singapore.

In her experience, she has worked as a consultant in the UK and published educational articles and teaching resources. She has been involved in teacher training, coaching and mentoring of teachers and university students across London and was an Assistant Principal at one of the UK’s highest nationally performing specialist Academies.

Kalea has previous held a variety of leadership roles in education, ranging from Head of Faculty and Welfare, to International Baccalaureate Diploma Coordinator. She was awarded Chartered London Teacher Status in recognition for her achievement in raising the standard of teaching and learning across London.

She believes in providing the best possible opportunities for students to develop lively, inquiring minds, a desire and passion to learn, and a better understanding of themselves and their world while striving to achieve their personal best focused on Academic Excellence.

Eric Van Den Berg

Eric joined Cognita Schools as a Chief Operating Officer Asia in June 2017. Prior to this, he had over 20 years of experience in the logistic industry, with his recent role as Regional Vice President of FedEx Express, South Pacific.

In addition to Singapore, he has been based in the Netherlands, Germany, and China where he held roles that ranged from Marketing, Strategy, Operations & Engineering and General Management.

He has played a leading role in key projects like the acquisition and integration of companies into in Germany, market entry into China, and leading change in the management across a number of strategic programs. He also thrives on large transformational assignments and driving business results through strong performance management.

Eric holds a Master of Business Administration from the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), in Communication at The Hague University of Applied Science.

His hobbies are playing drums, Thai boxing and Scuba Diving. As a Dutch native, he enjoys good food and fine wine.

Eric is married to his wife, Emily and has two boys.

Claire Ettinger

Claire joined AIS in 2010 as the school’s first Communications Manager. Over the past 8 years, Claire has been a key figure in the development of the department into a strong and energetic team that leads the school in areas of corporate communications and community engagement, alumni relations, events and marketing. Claire was appointed Director of Marketing and Communications in July 2016.

Claire has lived and worked in Singapore for over 10 years and brings with her experience from her 4 years living and working in Thailand and prior to that, 8 years working in London. She is a passionate brand ambassador and loves nothing more than uncovering the magic that happens at AIS every day and sharing these stories with the wider community.

When she has a spare minute, you can find Claire engrossed in the latest hot-read on her kindle, walking her rescue dog along the East Coast Park, or spending precious time in the company of her husband and children.

Anita Mahesan

Anita commenced as Director of Finance of AIS in October 2014. She brings over 17 years of experience in the Finance sector to the School.

Before this, she was Regional Finance Director, MEAPAC at Pacific World Singapore Pte Ltd. During her time there, she was proven to be very good not only at the Finance function, but as a business partner, strategizing, giving operating and commercial advice and working very efficiently with all the company stakeholders.

Over the years at AIS, her assertiveness and a tenacity has helped her become a goal-oriented finance practitioner. This has enabled her efforts to achieve objectives tailored to the School.

Anita holds a Bachelor of Honors in Accounting and Finance and a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Wales in the UK.

Find out more about our School Management.

Mr Adam Patterson

Adam joins us from the British School, Rio De Janeiro ,Brazil where he was the Head of Lower Primary. Adam has over 25 years experience in teaching and leadership roles in a range of countries and settings. Before moving to Brazil he was the founding Head of Early Years at the International School @ Parkcity (ISP),a start up school in Kuala Lumpur. ISP was his second start up school having been a founding teacher and Deputy Head of Kindergarten at Dulwich College Shanghai. 

In his spare time Adam enjoys cooking and has developed an unhealthy addiction to TV chefs. He enjoys most sports and still plays rugby and cricket when he can, although somewhat slower than in previous years. Adam and his family enjoy traveling and look forward to re-visiting some of their favorite places in SE Asia and also discovering some new ones. Adam's wife Amanda and two children Daisy and Alex join him in Singapore, Alex and Daisy will be attending AIS.

Mr Neil Smith

Neil joined AIS as the Head of Elementary in August 2014 bringing with him extensive experience of middle and Senior Leadership in International Schools.

Having trained in the United Kingdom his first teaching post overseas was in an intermediate school on the East coast of New Zealand. He then took on the challenge of working in Kuwait shortly after its liberation, working as an elementary class teacher there for over 4 years.

After a two-year period as a class teacher at the Overseas Family School (Singapore), Neil relocated to Phuket, Thailand where he joined the newly opened Dulwich International College. Initially working as a class teacher and Deputy Head he assumed the role of Head during his first year at the prestigious school.

Neil then took on a leadership role at the Canggu Community School, Bali in its newly developed campus. Having seen the School’s roll increase from approximately 70 students to close to 300 in just two years, Neil took the opportunity to head up the Primary section of Garden International School in Kuala Lumpur. Neil enjoyed 7 years at GIS as it continued to go through many changes and cement its place as one of the most dynamic and forward thinking Schools in the region. The push for a holistic education was strong, with elements such as the camps programme and community service providing the platform to ensure every child was challenged to meet the GIS vision. Throughout the period of development and diversification GIS saw its overall academic results continue to improve.

Neil and Linda have joined AIS with their two children Adrian and Jasmine who are currently both in the Preschool. Neil continues to enjoy teaching and in particular coaching rugby, swimming, athletics and multi sport events.

Ms Kalea Haran

Kalea is an experienced educator who worked in Education for 19 years in Australia, the UK and Singapore.

In her experience, she has worked as a consultant in the UK and published educational articles and teaching resources. She has been involved in teacher training, coaching and mentoring of teachers and university students across London and was an Assistant Principal at one of the UK’s highest nationally performing specialist Academies.

Kalea has previous held a variety of leadership roles in education, ranging from Head of Faculty and Welfare, to International Baccalaureate Diploma Coordinator. She was awarded Chartered London Teacher Status in recognition for her achievement in raising the standard of teaching and learning across London.

She believes in providing the best possible opportunities for students to develop lively, inquiring minds, a desire and passion to learn, and a better understanding of themselves and their world while striving to achieve their personal best focused on Academic Excellence.