
Investing in Education with Sudeep Laad
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Sudeep Laad, Partner in L.E.K. Consulting’s Global Education Practice, talks to host Monde Nkosi about investing in education. Sudeep shares an overview of the $25 billion annual investments that go into independent education groups around the world, and explains the various verticals that these investments go into. He highlights emerging themes in the education sector that he is excited about, including premium schools expanding to emerging markets, mid-fee schools in countries with growing middle classes (such as Vietnam), and higher education in regions with rising enrolment rates (such as Africa). Sudeep also discusses the social impact of the sector and shares some personal stories about his journey.
Sudeep Laad is a Partner in L.E.K. Consulting and a founding member of its Global Education Practice. He advises operators, investors, foundations, and governments on areas of strategic importance. He brings in-depth experience in education segments covering K-12, tertiary education, transnational education, after-school supplementary education, language learning, and education technology. Over the last decade and a half, Sudeep has led more than 400 projects in education in more than 40 geographies. His insights have been featured in numerous publications, including Education Investor Global and Relocate Global. He is frequently invited to speak at industry-leading education events, including SuperReturn Emerging Markets, AFSIC Africa, EdEx Online Africa, EdtechX Europe, Edtech Asia, and Education Investor’s Global Hotspots.
Sudeep Laad is a Partner in L.E.K. Consulting and a founding member of its Global Education Practice. He advises operators, investors, foundations, and governments on areas of strategic importance. He brings in-depth experience in education segments covering K-12, tertiary education, transnational education, after-school supplementary education, language learning, and education technology. Over the last decade and a half, Sudeep has led more than 400 projects in education in more than 40 geographies. His insights have been featured in numerous publications, including Education Investor Global and Relocate Global. He is frequently invited to speak at industry-leading education events, including SuperReturn Emerging Markets, AFSIC Africa, EdEx Online Africa, EdtechX Europe, Edtech Asia, and Education Investor’s Global Hotspots.
Chapters
- 00:07 Introduction to Education Investment
- 01:17 Introduction to Sudeep Laad
- 02:24 Sudeep's Background and Journey into Education
- 03:58 Competition and Selectivity of IIT Bombay
- 05:40 Family Background and Generational Living in India
- 06:50 Growth of Investment Activity in Education
- 08:53 Attractive Business Characteristics of the Education Sector
- 10:04 Consolidation Trends in Different Education Segments
- 11:30 Future Outlook for Education Investment
- 13:26 Market Share Fragmentation in Independent Education
- 14:06 Affordability and Adoption Levels in Emerging Markets
- 14:57 Investible Segments within the Education Market
- 16:03 K12 Education and Customer Lifetime Value
- 17:03 Higher Education Scalability and Profitability
- 18:03 Impact of COVID-19 on After-School Tutoring and EdTech
- 19:56 Policy Support and Subsidies in Childcare
- 22:05 Exciting Themes in K-12 Education
- 22:55 Expansion of British Independent Brands into Emerging Market
- 23:37 Partnerships and Franchising Models in International School Expansion
- 26:21 Mid-Market Opportunities and Mass Market Consolidations in K-12
- 28:45 Premium K-12 and Mid-Fee School Models
- 30:49 Global Mobility and International Student Mobility
- 34:20 Risk to Investing: Policy Intervention
- 37:31 Technology's role in Expanding Access and Enhancing Learning
- 40:45 Asset-Light vs Asset-Heavy Models in Education
- 43:31 Social Impact of Private Education
- 46:54 Favourite Teacher and the Importance of Learning How to Learn





