by Siobhan Brady
There are some moments in life when you know you’re part of something special. You can feel the buzz. You can feel the shift. That is exactly what happened at the very first Leading Your International School conference, held at the brilliant Eton House, Foshan.
And let me tell you – what a debut it was.
As a proud Board Member of LYIS, I was delighted that I could attend in person and see the vision and mission come to life. It was clear throughout that the values we stand for were evident through the bold conversations and our vibrant speakers. So, seeing LYIS in all its glory in Foshan, surrounded by international school leaders who really get what we are doing, was more than just exciting – it was powerful.
As a seasoned conference-goer, I’ll admit I arrived prepared for the usual: lanyards, PowerPoints, buffet queues, and a polite ‘networking’ nod across a sea of exhausted leaders. But LYIS? This was different. This was bold, warm, intelligent, and – dare I say it – boutique. It felt personal, like someone had taken all the best parts of school leadership, dusted off the jargon, added a spark of joy… and thrown in an opera singer for good measure (yes, really).
From the first coffee to the final keynote, I felt part of something that had depth, meaning, and above all – heart. The conversations were real and the networking was an integral part of the experience – not small groups of peers who already know each other catching up but instead new connections being made.
Following the opera singer – Armine Kocharyan and her accompanying pianist – Svitlana Tykhonycheva (yes, I have already mentioned this, but did I say Armine was a member of FEIS staff?), Amy, （Head Girl at EtonHouse Foshan), took the stage.
Frankly, we could have all gone home after that. With no notes and every ounce of confidence and clarity, she delivered a speech that didn’t just kick off the conference – it stopped us in our tracks. Her eloquence, poise, and powerful reflection on leadership gave us hope. Hope for the future. Hope for women in leadership. Hope that the next generation already understands what many of us took years to learn.
Our wonderful Chairman, Juma Nyamori, had the difficult task of following Amy, but he continued to set the tone with warmth and wisdom. His emphasis on inclusion and diversity wasn’t a tick-box mention – this was his lived experience – it was a passionate plea for school leaders to become champions of equity, representation, and cultural competence.
He reminded us that international schools are uniquely placed to model the kind of inclusive, future-facing leadership that the world needs. That inclusion and diversity are not a ‘project’ – they’re a principle. And that being international means more than flags in the corridor; it means recognising, valuing, and empowering every voice.
It was a welcome that didn’t just open the conference – it opened our minds.
It was clear that this wasn’t going to be a sit-back-and-scroll kind of conference. We got stuck in – mentally, and emotionally, and our thinking was challenged. This was followed by workshops that tackled the meaty, often-overlooked challenges of school leadership:
Sustainability and the Carbon Footprint of a School – A deep dive into the small decisions that could improve our planet, including a fascinating visual representation of how much CO2 a school can generate.
Transformational Leadership – Beyond the buzzword, what does it actually take to create a culture and ensure that change only occurs when necessary – don’t reinvent the wheel.
Empowering Middle Leaders – The engine room of every great school. These sessions reminded us that the success of senior leadership depends on how we nurture, trust, and grow our middle leaders.
Delegating Effectively – Because real leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about trusting others to do it brilliantly and knowing your team’s strengths to enable this.
But the thread that tied it all together? The 51%. Empowering women in leadership.
Because Grainne told us straight in her powerful keynote – if we keep going at the current global pace, it will take hundreds of years to reach true gender equality in leadership. Hundreds. This is in addition to the danger women face throughout their lives, with the ultimate question: would you rather be confronted by a bear or an unknown man in a forest? These are not just depressing statistics – they were a call to action. And LYIS is answering it.
At LYIS, we don’t believe in waiting centuries for equality or for women to feel safe. We believe in creating opportunity now – for women, for all underrepresented voices, and for anyone who’s ever been told leadership “isn’t for them” or “maybe in a few years.” This movement isn’t just about networking or professional development (though there’s plenty of that too) – it’s about rewriting the rules and reimagining the future of school leadership in a safe and supportive space.
And remember – LYIS isn’t limited by location, continent, or curriculum. Whether you’re leading a bilingual school in the heart of Bangkok or a start-up school in the suburbs of Colombo, you’re welcome here. Because what unites us isn’t where we are or what exam boards we follow – it’s who we are and how we lead. It is about you.
At the heart of LYIS are three beautifully simple values:
Ethical Leadership – No egos. No buzzwords. Just courageous, reflective, purposeful leadership that’s honest and human.
Opportunity – For all leaders, across all curricula, in every corner of the globe. Because your location should never determine your potential.
Sustainability – In our practices, our thinking, our planet, and our people. Because leadership shouldn’t come at the cost of wellbeing or the world.
So, whether you joined us in Foshan or cheered us on from afar (or let’s be honest, saw it on LinkedIn), know this: LYIS is here, and it’s only getting stronger.
We’re building something bold. Something necessary. Something better.
And we, the LYIS Board, want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us.
To those who travelled across continents. Who rearranged their family schedules. Who turned down a weekend of peace for a weekend of purpose – thank you.
To Amy Zhang, Jane Gay and Hendri Mc Intosh, our organisational superheroes – we are in awe of your calm, your creativity, and your refusal to panic even when the coffee machines tested us. You made magic happen.
To Principal Joe Otley and the phenomenal Foshan EtonHouse team – thank you for your warm hospitality, seamless logistics, and for opening your school in every sense of the word. You set the standard.
To our generous sponsors for believing in LYIS at the very beginning. Believing in the vision and helping to make this event not only possible but exceptional. Your support added real value to the experience and we are proud to be working with you.
And to Andre Double, whose idea this whole thing was – we see you. We thank you. And we are just at the very beginning of something remarkable.
What Happens Next?
Well, first – we take a deep breath, finish our notes, and try to explain to our colleagues back at school why we’ve come back buzzing, inspired, and using the phrase ‘engine room’ in every meeting.
But more importantly – we build and implement what we have discovered.
To those who attended, you will have access to the resources, and we ask that you share examples of your practice when implementing what you have discovered from the conference. At LYIS, we want to ‘talk the talk’ and ‘walk the walk’, and so this is an important aspect of ensuring the professional development you have received from us is impacting you and your schools.
This was the inaugural LYIS conference. The first of many. And the start of a global community of school leaders who believe in something bigger than titles and targets.
We’re here to support you… as a LYIS member, we are here to support you during the positive times as well as the lonely times when you need to reach out to someone for guidance or reassurance. And most of all – make schools places where leadership is about people, not power.
Final Thoughts from Foshan
If I could bottle the energy from this weekend and hand it out at every SLT meeting across the world, I would.
Because LYIS didn’t just gather leaders this weekend – it built connections. It sparked ideas. It created momentum.
And it reminded us all that school leadership, at its best, is not about hierarchy – it’s about humanity.
It’s not about being the loudest in the room – it’s about creating space for every voice.
It’s not about copying what’s been done – it’s about daring to do what’s needed.
So, whether you joined us in Foshan or followed along online, know this:
LYIS is here. The movement has begun. And the best is yet to come.
And yes – the first conference was in Foshan, but it won’t be the last… with a handwritten note, an opera singer, a powerhouse of leaders, and a belief that we can – and will – lead international schools differently. Andre said it perfectly – Leadership is to Love People – and that is exactly what we will continue to do for you, our wonderful school leaders.
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