Profiles of the directors

Jonathan Edwards - Chairman

Jonathan has first-hand experience of private education system in the UK. He was educated in Brighton and Eastbourne Colleges, which prepared him for the University of London, where he did his degree in French language and literature. As an exchange student he spent two years in France at the University of Clemont-Ferrand, which broadened his horizons and gave him a keen insight and commitment into international education and business.

Jonathan has had a successful career in London, working for a number of high profile investment banks in the city and with global media companies such as News International and Reuters. In 2005 he founded the educational consultancy ABE Group, which became a major partner of the British International School Kiev, when it took over from Nord Anglia education.

Jonathan holds an MBA in Educational Management and is currently working on his Doctorate in Education. He describes his main passions in life as: his family, education for all and squash. Jonathan lives in West London.

You can contact Jonathan at: j.edwards@abeukgroup.com  or via Linked in.

Olga Zastavna – Director General

Olga completed her education at Kiev University of Foreign Languages in 1988, where she was trained as a teacher of English and French. Olga worked as a University lecture at her alma mater before she founded the Monarch International Language Academy in 1994 and the British International School in 1997. By the late nineties Monarch ILA was the most successful provider of Business Language courses on the Kiev corporate market. Its major clients included: Coca Cola, Gillette, KPMG, the Ministry of Finance and the World Bank.

Olga’s real passion has always been with the school and education for children. This is where she has channeled her main energy, creating a successful business model for international private schooling offering bi-lingual education for local students and international for foreign nationals. She believes the unique advantage of British International Schools in Kiev is the fact that they offer a choice of the best of educational programmes through the British National Curriculum and International Baccalaureate as well as catering for the needs of Ukrainian students and the Atestat examinations.

Olga is a proud mother of two sons, both of whom have been educated at the British International School, Kiev. She is currently studying for her MBA in the UK.

You can contact Olga at: Olga.Zastavna@britishschool.kiev.ua

Elena Edwards - Director

Elena Edwards had a successful career in Kiev as a Director of Monarch International Language Academy before she moved to London in 2003, where she worked as Operations Manager for the London School of Marketing, being in charge of student recruitment worldwide. She joined ABE Group in 2006. Her responsibilities within the Board include marketing, advertising, recruitment of international staff and HR.

Elena was trained as a teacher of English and German in Ukraine. She furthered her education in the UK having received a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy in London. She holds professional membership with The British Association of Counselling Psychotherapy (BACP) and runs a small private practice in London in addition to her role with ABE Group.  In 2011 she completed her Doctorate in Philosophy at Canterbury University.

Elena’s interests lie with the era of the silver age in Russian culture, The ‘Ballets Russes’ of Serge Diaghilev and postmodern philosophy.

You can contact Elena at: e.edwards@abeukgroup.com