Cognita was established in October 2004 when we invested with the objective of creating the leading independent schools business initially in the UK, then internationally. Cognita's vision is to build a portfolio of top quality schools with an absolute commitment to teaching excellence. The company was founded by an experienced management team and chaired by Chris Woodhead for c.10 years, the former UK Chief Inspector of Schools.

We developed Cognita's strategy with Chris and the management team for more than a year prior to the Company's initial acquisitions. Having become by far the leading independent schools business in the UK, Cognita now also has a leading presence in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Spain, Chile and Brazil, and has recently entered the Hong Kong market. In 2013 we negotiated an investment in Cognita by KKR, alongside us as a 50/50 owner, to further accelerate the company’s growth around the world.