Interview of the Week: Michael Wilde, CEO of CIA FIRST International School
For this week's interivew, EuroCham Comminications Intern Henry Henderson met with Michael Wilde, CEO of CIA FIRST International School for a conversation exploring education in Cambodia.
During the discussion Wilde and Henderson looked at the educator's approach to managing an international school in Cambodia, how these types of institutions can contribute to the development of global citizens, and what the future holds for CIA First.
Henry: First, we'd like to start by learning a little bit about yourself. Can you share your career journey in education and what led you to your leadership role at CIA First International Cambodia? What leadership principles have guided your work, especially as a cross-cultural school in a rapidly developing environment like Cambodia?
Michael: My name is Michael Wilde. I am the Chief Executive Officer of CIA FIRST International School, and I joined here in June of 2023. Prior to this, I was Regional Managing Director in Southeast Asia and the Middle East with two large international school groups. Prior to that, I worked in Dubai in the UAE for 15 years on Economic Freezones
This is relevant because I have worked for the Government where I was responsible for the development of young national citizens, as well as managing a diverse expatriate workforce. The relevance to your question is because this was a very multicultural experience, and required that I learn about cultural sensitivities, whether in the Middle East, international or more recently Southeast Asia. Coming to this role with CIA FIRST in Cambodia in June of 2023, I have gained a lot of experience leading and developing excellent Cambodian Nationals, as well as a mixture of international personnel.
The most important leadership lesson I have learned is the value of trust and integrity. Trust the people who work for you. Always tell them the truth. Be open, be direct, but also be respectful and empathetic to cultural nuances. Nobody is right all the time. People make mistakes. It is OK to make a mistake, learn from a mistake, and move forward. I believe people of all nationalities want to be able to look up and know that there is trust and respect on both sides, and that there is also empathy for them, their culture, their history, and their language.
Henry: Within your leadership position as CEO, how do you stay connected to the students and the teachers?
Michael: Leaders like to say they have an open-door policy. Many times, these are just words, but what I know to be very important is that the door is literally always open.
At any time in the day, a teacher, a student or a member of staff can walk into my office. I have students walking in because they feel comfortable doing so. When they walk in, you sit down, you sit beside them, and you talk about what they want to talk about. By doing so, we all feel connected.
When I walk around the school, young students come up to me and say, “Mr. CEO,” and we talk. It is not a hierarchical thing, with an untouchable, uncommunicative boss. Teachers and students appreciate this contact. Also, when I see a parent, a little smile, a hello, goes a long way.
We also have the other usual communication channels of assemblies, parent conferences and meetings where we talk about what is going on at the school.
Henry: How would you describe the current landscape of international education in Cambodia and what makes it either promising or challenging for institutions like CIA First? How does your school stand out from other international schools?
Michael: That is a big question, but interestingly the same question is asked around the world. State school systems do the best with the resources they have, working very hard to educate the children of Cambodia.
Parents always strive for their children to be better than they were, so when they can afford it – with no disrespect to any State system – parents try to take a step forward and place their children into private education. This is where CIA FIRST comes in. We are not an elite premium school. We are affordable to the hard-working mid-market families.
Cambodian parents appreciate an English language, international education for their children. But very importantly, they also want their children to maintain their Khmer language, their Khmer learning, their Khmer culture, and their Khmer understanding. This is why we at CIA FIRST offer both international and Khmer curricula. Students and parents appreciate this because their children receive international education and qualifications, as well as the important Khmer learning.
Henry: How can international schools like CIA First contribute to the broader development of Cambodia's education system, particularly, when it comes to promoting 21st Century skills such as critical thinking, digital literacy, and global citizenship?
Michael: New technologies are coming into the classrooms, with new and innovative ways of learning, and this is happening in schools around the world and from global developments in education practices.
One of the biggest challenges of our times is Artificial Intelligence (AI), and its impact on learning. It is happening, the students are using it, we are using it, and it is here to stay. So, the more we are involved in tools like AI, and other new technologies, the more it helps the students, because they are living and breathing it every day.
To help the country, to help the economy, we have a big responsibility every day to teach the children about these technologies, to help them understand it, and to embrace it. But also very importantly, especially for students and families, we help them to understand the impact of what we call screen time. That is, too much time on phones, too much time on laptops, too much time spent alone on computers etc, can imbalance students and their overall learning
Finding that balance, getting outside, playing and interacting with people is essential, which is why the physical school environment is so important. Some people say children can be educated from home and online. We disagree. Children need a physical environment, physical presence; they need to get off their screens and interact. This is another important challenge, and one that will have a big impact for the young students of Cambodia.
Henry: With your experience in education, what advice would you give aspiring leaders who want to drive a meaningful impact in international or emerging education markets?
Michael: Whichever role you perform, it all comes back to integrity. We are in a school, we are dealing with people, we are dealing with students and their parents. Integrity and truth are the most important things. If you cannot do something, say so, it is OK. If you say you will do something, then do it, and keep your promises.
Learn your trade, continuously professionally develop yourself, and strive to get better every day, every year in what you do. A school is not a place for people to just come in from 8:00am to 4:00pm each day and just do a job. We are improving the lives of young people, which is an awesome responsibility.
Henry: What are some recent milestones that reflect CIA First’s growth and direction as an institution and looking ahead, what are your key strategic priorities for the next few years, whether in terms of the curriculum, enrollment, partnerships or facilities?
Michael: All schools talk about enrollment numbers, and that is fine, but that is just a qualitative number. Our enrolments do grow year on year, and we have currently over 5,500 students.
In August 2025, we will open our new campus at Russey Keo, Phnom Penh. This is a fabulous, brand-new, state of the art campus in the Northeastern part of Phnom Penh. It will add another 1,500-student capacity, which is a large investment. The year after that, right next door, there will also be another new CIA FIRST High School with a further 1,500 students.
These are big enrolment numbers, but the most important thing is continuous improvement in our students’ learning, their results in grades, and where our graduating students are going to university when they graduate. This includes excellent Universities in Phnom Penh plus obviously the best international universities globally.
For those who choose not to go to university, they also succeed in business, sports and other endeavors of their choosing. Graduates attending universities are important but also graduating as Empowered Global Citizens is equally important, so that our students also have the life skills to be successful in whatever they choose to do.
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