This October 23–25, Search Associates (SEARCH) joined nearly 1,200 delegates and 182 sponsors at the 55th annual East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS) Leadership Conference, held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok. SEARCH’s Director of Leadership Recruitment and Global Partnership Tim Stuart attended alongside Senior Associates Ray Sparks, Nick Kendell, Gez Hayden, and Gary MacPhie. For Gary, the gathering was a meaningful return:
I attended the conference regularly for ten consecutive years (2007–2017) before moving into my current role with Search Associates, making this my first return in eight years. It was truly enjoyable to reconnect with many familiar colleagues—now serving in new leadership roles throughout the region. Having five Search Associates represented at the conference was particularly rewarding, as it allowed us to share experiences, discuss our varied approaches, and gather valuable feedback from both candidates and schools.
This year’s theme, “Future—Visible,” highlighted innovative perspectives on leadership in international schools. Sessions led by EARCOS member school leaders explored a wide range of topics, including school safety, leadership development, business operations, recruitment processes, and professional evaluation systems—many presented by SEARCH candidates.
Two keynote speakers brought compelling insights. Former high school educator, author, and Apple Education Executive Sabbi Quidwai encouraged educators to shift “from using AI as a tool to partnering with it as a trusted teammate.” Debra P. Wilson, President of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), spoke on “Trends and Transformations” shaping independent schools, reflecting on her leadership through periods of significant growth and the COVID-19 pandemic.
A featured plenary panel on the topic “Between Rocks and Hard Places: What happens when doing the right thing could cost you everything?” invited participants to grapple with dilemmas familiar to school leaders. With real examples of moral courage, practical decision-making frameworks, and strategies for resilience, panelists Karen O’Neill, Rami Madani, and Marta Medved offered powerful insights from their leadership across the region.
SEARCH was delighted to sponsor the first evening reception, greeting each attendee personally as they entered the ballroom. As Ray Sparks shared:
We truly stand by our motto "spanning the world with a personal handshake approach." This personal gesture prompted many compliments.
Throughout the conference, the SEARCH team reconnected with long-standing partner schools and met leaders from new schools interested in joining the SEARCH network. Nick Kendell reflected:
The EARCOS conference offered a valuable opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and friends from across the East Asia region. It was a pleasure to engage in meaningful conversations with many familiar educational leaders, while also forming new professional connections that will support future collaboration.
