Boards of Governors & Management Team

Hamdan Al Shaqsi started his career with Petroleum Development Oman in 1980 where he served for 20 years in various senior roles, part of which, he was cross posted to Brunei Shell Petroleum for 3+ yeas as the Asset Management Accountant for Corporate, New Business Development, Marine and Refinery.

In the year 2000 Hamdan joined Oman LNG where he served as the Chief Financial officer, Chairman of the Tender Board and Secretary to the Board of Directors.

In 2007 Hamdan co-founded, promoted, and developed the Gulf International Pipe Industry LLC (GIPI), a High Pressure ERW Pipe Mill in Sohar where he served as CEO and a Promoting Shareholder.

Since full divestment of their stake in GIPI during 2012, Hamdan has lead Golden Dunes International LLC as Shareholder & Chairman with diversified investments in Trading, Oil & Gas Services, Marine, Technology and Real Estate. Hamdan serves as a Board Member in Galfar Oman and Chairman of the Galfar Audit Committee and is a Board Member and Chairman of NAMA Holdings.

Hamdan is married with 8 Children and holds an MBA majoring in Financial Management, ACCA finalist 1989 and is a Certified SAP ERP Consultant on CO module.

Sayyid Mohamed Al Said, Chairman of Nobel Education Services LLC, is an entrepreneur and founder of a number of successful businesses in Oman. He is a Mechanical Engineer with Executive MBA from United Kingdom. He spent more than 10 years of his early carrier as an engineer with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) on sustainable and enhanced oil recovery technologies prior to embarking on his business endeavours. He is married and a father of three children.

Dr Lamya Al Haj (https://www.lamyaalhaj.com/) is a PhD holder of Structural and Molecular Biology, Executive Coach, a researcher on biodiesel alternatives to oil, a professor at the Sultan Qaboos University, and a TEDx motivational speaker, founder of speakers platform in GCC region to show case role models to inspire younger generations. She is known to be one of the leading woman in the STEM ecosystem. Delivered numerous addresses and speeches at conferences and associations, at annual corporate events including Harvard, IMD Middle East Alumni conferences on leadership and was recently selected as a judge for an MIT based competition “innovators under 35” organised by MIT Technology Review. She worked alongside & supported CEOs, business leaders, Boards around the country.

Andre Haffner is a dynamic and self-driven management consultant who runs his own corporation successfully over the last two decades. Andre Haffner helped many leading organizations in their strategic and organizational planning processes. He taught various curricula including finance, management and leadership at HFW Zug (College of Higher Education and Training in Business Administration). He also served as principle at the bespoken school until 2017. Over the years he held a variety of teaching positions. He is a faculty expert for federal examinations where he also leads an international team of exam experts. Andre Haffner holds a MA from the University in St. Gallen, Switzerland and a teaching diploma. Andre Haffner has co-authored two instructional books about Project Management and Strategy Implementation.

As a trained scientist Dr. Berlin first pursued a career at Tufts University in Boston followed by the Max-Planck-Institute in Berlin, where he co-founded a successful Biotechnology company which went public in Frankfurt. Realising that excellent education is the key success factor for individuals and societies, Dr Berlin co-founded a chain of private bilingual schools in Germany in 2008 called Phorms. Two years later Dr Berlin became a co-founder and director of the Nobel Education Network and was instrumental in establishing OurPlanet International School in Muscat in partnership with Sayyid Mohamed Al Said. Today he is a director and a founder of Stepke, a chain of German Kindergartens, and director of the German branch of Scandinavia´s market leader in private education. Kurt is married and has two children.

Tim has been working in education since 1983, as a teacher and various school leadership roles in UK, USA, Switzerland and Germany, and then founded two schools in Czech Republic and Saudi Arabia, and was Head of School in Qatar before arriving in Muscat. Along this journey, he has worked with KG through to high school graduation in the UK, USA and IB curriculums. He has been involved with the IB for almost 20 years, and has worked in all three programmes of the IB (​primary, middle years and diploma), including the authorisation process. He was a Design and Technology teacher for many years, as well as a few years teaching science and PE.

Tim received his Bachelors in Education in England, and then gained a Masters in Education and a Masters in International School Administration both from the USA. He work​s​ closely with staff and parents to create ​an environment which allow​s​ students to enjoy school and learn ​to the best of their ability. Tim enjoys meeting the school community, and will be visible around the school. OurPlanet is small enough to allow him to also get to know the students, as even now, he misses teaching in his own classroom!

Hisham is an experienced IB educator with 10 years teaching in International Baccalaureate schools. He started his career as a MYP/PYP Arabic and Arabic culture teacher and throughout his career has worked as SEN teacher, coach for Arabic teachers and Curriculum Continuum coordinator for Arabic language (PYP & MYP).

Hisham also works as a volunteer for many pilot government school projects which are beginning to implement the PYP, EIS in Egypt. His knowledge of the PYP programme and of Arabic national curricula enables him to balance IB and Ministry of Education requirements.

He has a Master’s degree in Educational psychology and Bachelor of Arabic Literatures and Islamic studies form Dar al-Ulum cairo University. Hisham is a certified IB Workshop Leader and IB school visitor and has led several workshop in the region and has input on the KFF project in Saudi Arabia. Over the years he has taken part in many IBPYP authorization and evaluation visits in the Middle East. Hisham’s LinkedIn profile here.

Ana is a passionate educator with 15 years teaching experience in the United Kingdom, Poland, Sweden and Oman. Her IB journey began in the Early Years implementing the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and gradually evolved to varied teaching and leadership positions: PYP Homeroom teacher, MYP English and Humanities teacher, Head of Learning Support (PYP & MYP), Curriculum Coordinator for Languages (MYP & DP), PYP Exhibition Supervisor, MYP Personal Project Tutor, and DP Extended Essay Supervisor. She is a certified IB Workshop Leader, a certified Concept-based Inquiry trainer, and has been involved with the IB authorisation process for PYP and MYP in schools in Sweden and Oman.

Ana has gained BA (Hons) in Sociology from Manchester University, CELTA from Cambridge University, PGCE from Nottingham University, and a MA in Special and Inclusive Education from Nottingham University. 

In her role as PYP and MYP coordinator she strives to guide and empower teachers and parents to best support our students achieving their full potential and become successful and fulfilled lifelong learners in a warm and welcoming school environment.

Maria is a passionate, student-centered educator with over 15 years of experience working in the Early Years. Maria joined OurPlanet School when it first opened its doors in August 2013 and has taken on an active role throughout the school’s growth and development. Maria is the first face that new parents and students meet when they contact OurPlanet for the first time. She ensures that prospective parents learn and understand the identity of the school. As the Head of Primary, Maria plays a key role promoting the school’s vision and mission by supporting teachers and parents, and also fosters our children’s interests and needs so they can achieve their full potential in a caring and engaging learning environment.

She has completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from the Escola Superior de Educação (Porto, Portugal).