Sunny Varkey

Spear's Review

A major player in the world of education, Sunny Varkey is an entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded and is executive chairman of GEMS Education, one of the largest operators of private schools in the world. 

Education was in the blood for the Indian-born businessman. His parents both taught English and founded a school in Dubai, which Varkey took on in the 1980s. Realising the opportunity in providing schooling to the burgeoning expat community, he opened Indian, Pakistani and British schools in the UAE, offering families the opportunity to have their children educated under the curricula of their home countries.

GEMS Education now has a network of more than 49 schools across the UAE, Qatar and Egypt, providing education to children from pre-school to grade 12/year 13. 

Varkey is also the trustee of the Varkey Foundation, a philanthropic group that aims to ‘change lives through education’.