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 50 schools across the UAE, Qatar and Egypt, providing education to children from pre-school to grade 12/year 13.

Backed by partners such as India’s second richest person, Gautam Adani, and US-based Brookfield Asset Management, Varkey has ambitious expansion plans. Varkey and Adani hope a partnership in their home country will provide world-class, affordable education – with an initial target of opening 20 schools over three years.

In August 2025, and with backing from Brookfield, Varkey’s company opened the GEMS School of Research and Innovation, which has been labelled as Dubai’s most expensive school, with fees of up to $56,000 per year. It boasts an elevated football field that doubles as a helipad, a 600-seat auditorium, an Olympic-size swimming pool and an ‘NBA-spec’ basketball court.

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

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