Frances Powell

Frances joined GEMS SRI as the Director of Human Potential last academic year, bringing over seventeen years of international leadership experience across Dubai, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and the UK. A former Head and Vice Principal, she is deeply committed to values-driven education that combines academic rigour with innovative pathways and genuine care for students. Frances holds a First-Class Honours degree in English and completed both her PGCE and Master’s in Education at the University of Cambridge. A strong advocate of lifelong learning, she also holds the NPQSL, a Diploma in Psychology, is a BSO-trained inspector, and is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching. Her work focuses on developing structures and programmes that support outstanding academic outcomes alongside students’ social and emotional flourishing, preparing young people to thrive confidently on a global stage.