Head of School Search (Recruitment) Process

Welcome to the Head of School Search page, which provides the BHA community with information and updates regarding the search for BHA’s next Head of School.

Dear Valued Members of the Branksome Hall Asia (BHA) Community,

Dr. Blair Lee, our Head of School, has informed us of his decision to step down from his position effective July 2026. Throughout his tenure, Dr. Blair Lee has been a passionate advocate for BHA, its students, faculty, and the broader community at BHA. He has led with dedication, empathy, and a steadfast commitment to excellence. As we approach this transition, Dr. Blair Lee remains fully engaged in his leadership role and will work closely with the Board of Governors to ensure a seamless transition to the next Head of School.

The Board of Governors has initiated the search for a new Head of School. A search committee has been established, and I have asked Ms. Mona Malone, Chair of Branksome Hall Canada and Chief Human Resources Officer, and Group Head People, Culture and Brand at BMO Financial Group to Chair the Committee. The appointment of the next Head of School is an important undertaking for Branksome Hall Canada and the Branksome Hall Asia Board and leadership. We will also include advisory members, including faculty and non-faculty staff, as required.

The mandate of the committee is to recommend to the Board a world-class leader who embodies our values and will continue to uphold BHA’s tradition of academic excellence, ensuring an exceptional educational experience for our students and their families.

To support this important process, the committee has engaged Perrett Laver, an internationally renowned executive recruiting firm with deep expertise in global independent schools and extensive experience in leadership recruitment, including in Korea. Their proven track record will help us identify a leader who aligns with our mission, vision, and long-term aspirations.

A key element of this search will be a comprehensive consultation period, engaging the broader BHA community and building on the valuable input received in the fall of 2024 from parent representatives. This process will help shape the position profile and establish clear criteria for our next Head of School. We will keep you informed through regular updates on timelines and search progress.

On behalf of the BHA community, we extend our deepest gratitude to Dr. Blair Lee for his unwavering commitment to the school and his steadfast support of our students.

Sincerely,

Jean Cloutier
Chair, Board of Governors
Branksome Hall Asia

Announcements

Message from Mona Malone, Head of School Search Chair

Leadership Search: About Parrett Laver & Our Consultant

Search Committee

Jean Cloutier, Chair - BHA Board of Governors

Board Chair Jean Cloutier joined Fairfax in 1999 as Vice President and Chief Actuary, becoming Vice President, International Operations in 2009. From 1990-1999, he was Vice President Actuarial Services of Lombard Canada Limited, a Canadian property and casualty insurance company. From 1987 to 1990, Mr. Cloutier was an actuarial analyst at Hailfax insurance and from 1986 to 1987 he was an actuarial assistant at Dominion of Canada Insurance Company. Mr. Cloutier received his bachelor's degree in actuarial sciences from Laval University. He is a fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a member of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.

Mona Malone - Search Committee Chair, Branksome Hall Canada Chair

Mona Malone is Chief Human Resources Officer and Head of People & Culture for BMO Financial Group. Throughout her 20 years at BMO, Mona has held a variety of diverse roles in Human Resources and the business including Retail Banking Sales Leader in the Greater Toronto Area, VP Product and Marketing Officer at ePost (a joint venture between Canada post and BMO), Chief HR Officer of Canada’s Personal and Commercial Banking Group and Chief Talent & Learning Officer.

Mona holds an Honours Business Administration degree from Ivey Business School at University of Western Ontario. She is the Chair of the Advisory Council for the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership at the Ivey Business School, Chair of the Branksome Hall Board of Governors, and a member of The Long Run Initiative Board of Governors. Mona is also a past parent of Branksome Hall Canada.

Mike Gans - BHA Board Member, SPV Chair

Michael has been a partner of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP in Toronto since 2002. Michael’s practice focuses on Canadian and international merger and acquisition transactions and he has advised on many of Canada's highest-profile M&A transactions. Michael previously sat on the advisory board of the North York Harvest Food Bank. Michael is the proud father of a current Branksome student and a Branksome graduate.

Seong Hyun Park – BHA Board member

Josh Peck – Founding BHA Board member

Josh Peck is an attorney and partner at the Corporate Group of Lee & Ko in Seoul, South Korea. He specializes in the areas of general corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and international arbitration. Fluent in English and Korean, Mr. Peck holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from Boston College and a Juris Doctor (JD) from Georgetown University Law Center. He was admitted to the bar in New York State in 1990, and has practiced in Korea throughout his career. He has also contributed his expertise to a number of published international legal guides. Mr. Peck is also the parent of a Branksome Hall Canada alum. He resides in Seoul, South Korea.

Bruce Son - JEINS CEO

BongSoo Son is a founding member of JDC, a public enterprise established by the South Korean government to implement development projects for the Jeju Free International City. Since joining JDC in its founding year, 2002, he has held several key positions, overseeing the organization's budget, structure, and business strategies over the past two decades. In 2013, he was appointed Head of the Education City Department, where he led the establishment of Jeju Global Education City (JGEC). This culturally diverse and natural setting offers English-medium education. Recognizing his efforts to position JGEC as an education hub in Northeast Asia, he was appointed CEO of JEINS in 2021, a subsidiary of JDC that currently operates three international schools within JGEC, including Branksome Hall Asia.

Grace McCullum - Principal, Branksome Hall Canada

Grace, Principal of Branksome Hall Canada, is an experienced international educator and leader. A strategic and relationship-driven leader, Grace has led transformative school initiatives, master planning, and community-driven strategies. With a career rooted in IB education, she champions inquiry-based learning and personalized student pathways. She has served on international education boards, contributed to academic publications, and spoken at global conferences on leadership, innovation, and DEI. Grace holds a B.A. from St. Thomas University and a B.Ed and M.Ed in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of New Brunswick.

Sandra Roberts - MD SPV Canada

Sandra Roberts is an accomplished business and finance executive with extensive national and international experience advising boards and executive teams across the professional services, financial services, healthcare, and public sectors.

She currently serves as the Global Managing Director of Branksome Hall Asia and sits on the Board of Directors at both Shinhan Bank Canada—where she is the Audit Committee Chair—and Toronto Global, where she chairs the Governance and HR Committee.

Sandra is a former board member of both Branksome Hall Canada and Branksome Hall Asia, and is also a proud parent of Branksome Hall alumni.

She is a retired Partner from PwC, where she served as the National Risk Assurance Leader for the Public Sector, and has also held senior leadership roles at Deloitte.

Sandra brings deep expertise in governance, enterprise risk management, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), financial management, and regulatory compliance.

She is a graduate of York University and the Rotman School of Management / Institute of Corporate Directors, and holds the ICD.D designation.

FAQ

Why has Dr. Blair Lee decided to leave the position at this time?

Dr. Lee's notice aligns with best practices in international school leadership transitions. Providing a 16- to 18-month notice period is considered standard for Heads of School in international settings. This extended timeframe allows for a thorough and thoughtful succession process, ensuring the selection of a well-suited successor and facilitating a seamless leadership transition. Such proactive planning is essential for maintaining stability and continuity within the school community during periods of change.

Dr. Lee will continue his dedicated leadership at Branksome Hall Asia through the end of the 2025–26 academic year, ensuring strong direction and focus on key school priorities. His commitment to a smooth transition will help position the next Head of School for success while maintaining the excellence and vision of BHA

Is there a timeline for the Head of School Search? Does the school have a set date for when the next Head of School will begin in the role?

The Chair of the Board, immediately upon receiving notice from Dr. Blair Lee, convened a Search Committee and asked Ms. Mona Malone, Chair of Branksome Hall Canada, Chief Human Resources Officer and Group Head People, Culture and Brand, at BMO Financial Group, to chair the Committee. In line with best practice, leading global international schools commence their search 16 to 18 months in advance of the effective date of appointment. This allows for a carefully planned, strategic, and comprehensive search, providing the opportunity to consider a diverse range of candidates.

How were members of the Search Committee selected?

What are the key criteria that will be most important in this selection process?

The selection process will prioritize visionary leadership, educational excellence, and a collaborative schoolculture, along with strategic insight and alignment with our institution’s . To ensure a thorough and tailored evaluation, we will also develop unique assessment criteria through direct engagement with stakeholders, including on-campus meetings and input from diverse community members.

What role does the executive search firm, Perrett Laver, serve in the Head of School search process?

Founded to focus on solving leadership challenges in mission-driven sectors, Perrett Laver is one of the top three purpose-driven executive search firms worldwide. The firm advises educational, research, healthcare, philanthropic, non-profit, and cultural organizations in world-class appointments in over 70 countries. Perrett Laver has 21 offices and 180 staff that cover all regions of the world, across Asia, the Americas, the UK, Continental Europe, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.

Perrett Laver’s role is to develop a diverse pool of candidates qualified to meet the needs of Branksome Hall Asia. The firm will generate the candidate pool, work with the Search Committee to select a longlist of candidates, interview the longlist and recommend a shortlist to the Search Committee. The firm will then support the Committee and the candidates through the successive stages of interviews. Perrett Laver will also support in conducting due diligence and finalizing the offer and contract to the successful candidate.

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