Established in 1905 from two prestigious private schools providing the UK curriculum for serving British military families, Chiswick House was acquired by the Mangion family in 1962. The school is still run by the family today. In 1991, Margarite Mangion established what is now the parent company of the Global Achievers Academy, EC.
EC is now one of the world’s leading English language educational companies with 22 schools open throughout the year to students from across the globe in three continents. In 2018 EC acquired Embassy Summer a leading junior summer camp provider delivering successful summer school experiences to students from around the world for over 45 years.
Lisa James, sheds light on the value of global exposure for future careers and shares invaluable insights on how international experiences can significantly enhance your career prospects.
Karissa Kary, shares her insights for anyone looking to step out of their comfort zone.
Video featuring EC’s CEO & Executive Chairman, Andrew Mangion’s insights on how global awareness is integral to effective leadership.
The Global Achievers Academy is the combined burning passion of the Mangion family and the team, to help young achievers and tomorrow’s potential leaders truly make an impact on our planet and its successful future.
We believe that with the potential unravelling of globalisation, which has been a significant part of our world and the way in which we live since the end of World War II, the Global Achievers Academy is the ideal summer programme to bring our aspirational young people together, whilst continuing to break down barriers, and working on making the planet a safer place, all while making us all feel more connected.
With over 50 years of experience between them, the team behind the Global Achievers Academy has a wealth of knowledge in delivering safe and inspiring programmes to young people.
Our teams in the academies are all experienced and knowledgeable in their fields, and we offer an extensive training programme for our new team members. All staff are rigorously background checked and referenced for their suitability to work with minors and take part in safeguarding training.
Andrew Mangion is Executive Chairman & CEO and a major shareholder of the EC Group. He acquired equity in the fledgling company in 1997 and grew the organization into one of the leading international players. Andrew was CEO of EC from 1997 until 2009 and moved into the Chairman role from 2009 until present. He took over the CEO role once again in 2019. Prior to joining EC he worked for an international trading company with offices in Russia, India, Dubai, the Baltics and Malta, running their Indian and later Baltic operations.
He graduated from Luther College (USA) in 1992 having double majored in Business Management and French. He is also a graduate of the OPM programme at Harvard Business School. Andrew is a director of Chiswick House School and St Martins College, two of the leading K-12 Schools in Malta and served on the board of the Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations in Malta (FELTOM) both as a board member as well as serving two years as President of the Board. Andrew was also a member of the board of the Association of Language Travel Organisations (ALTO) between 2010 and 2015.
In 2005 he championed the startup of the first YPO Chapter in Malta and was Chapter Chair between 2005 and 2008. He also served as a member of the YPO European Board.
Lisa has 30 years of experience in international education. She started her career working in junior summer camps in 1994 as a teacher and activity leader and now oversees all young learner programmes for EC, the parent company of Global Achievers Academy. She is the current Chair of English UK, Young Learners, a special interest group of 60+ members who specialise in delivering quality programmes to minors and spends a lot of her time working across the wider industry to support positive change and champion safe and happy camps for students under 18.
Lisa has spent the majority of her professional career working on the internationl stage and truly believes in a globalised world that celebrates diversity and cultural differences. She is married with two teenage children of her own and one very messy dog. She is a champion of wellbeing and meditation and loves being out in nature and exploring new destinations!
Karissa has enjoyed working at the intersection of immersive experiential learning and cross cultural and language education for over 20 years. Bringing people together to explore and learn in interesting ways is a life long passion.
Educated in Philosophy and International Peace Studies, Karissa is excited to utilize the best of her experiences and knowledge, from theatre and literary festivals to traditional classrooms and Embassy Summer camps, to create a unique and dynamic learning experience with the Global Achievers Academy.
Niall has 13 years of experience in international education. During his professional career, he has undertaken a variety of roles both in operations and in sales. The vast majority of his experience has been concentrated on young learner programmes for students under 18. Niall has a strong focus on innovation and helping students succeed in a global community.
Each year, Niall attends multiple industry events, workshops and fairs. He particularly enjoys making frequent trips to meet with industry partners, schools and parents.
Niall is an avid traveller with a passion for experiencing local cultures and meeting new people. Based in Brighton, Niall enjoys the many outdoor activities that come with living by the sea.