Cognita appoints chief people officer
The group has grown to a community of over 21,000 staff across 21 countries with more than 100 schools, serving over 100,000 students
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Cognita has announced it has appointed Emily Lofting-Kisakye as group chief people officer (CPO), effective 1 September.
Lofting-Kisakye was previously chief people officer for Cognita Europe and USA.
Cognita said the appointment reflects its “deep commitment to building a supportive, values-driven culture”.
The group has grown to a community of over 21,000 staff across 21 countries with more than 100 schools, serving over 100,000 students.
Building on the strength of its regional HR leads, the group CPO’s areas of focus will include culture, aligning people strategy globally, and ensuring every employee “shares a consistent experience of what it means to be part of Cognita”.
Lofting-Kisakye joined Cognita in June 2020 as HR director for Europe. Her leadership has strengthened HR operations, onboarding, and employee relations, while playing a key role in supporting acquisition and transformation activity.
Prior to joining Cognita, Lofting-Kisakye was HR director, Europe and International, at Urban Outfitters Europe.
In her new role, Lofting-Kisakye joins the executive team and will report directly to group CEO Frank Maassen.
Frank Maassen, group CEO of Cognita, said: “As a global leader in education, we place employee wellbeing and a values-led culture at the heart of our success. The position of Group CPO plays a pivotal role in advancing this mission.
“Emily’s experience, commitment, and clarity of vision make her ideally placed to lead this work. As we continue to expand globally, we are committed to investing in our colleagues’ professional development and personal growth so they can continue to thrive.”
Lofting-Kisakye added: “I’m honoured to step into this role and build on the great work already underway across our regions. Our people are at the heart of Cognita’s success. I look forward to working with colleagues worldwide to further strengthen our culture, grow our talent, and ensure Cognita remains an outstanding place to work as we continue to expand globally.”