UK Education Experts, AI Engineers, and Advisors Who Care

We've built a team that combines decades of UK independent school experience with modern technology — so every recommendation is grounded in expertise and powered by data.

45+

Years of combined experience in UK education

6

Languages spoken across the team

3

Countries where our team is based

200+

UK schools personally visited

leadership

Founded by People Who've Been Through It

Our founders have first-hand experience of the international student journey — as students, as parents, and as education professionals.

James Chen
Co-Founder & CEO

James Chen

British-Chinese · Harrow → Cambridge → Goldman Sachs → Eduviai

James experienced the UK boarding school system first-hand — arriving from Shanghai at age 13 with limited English and leaving with a Cambridge offer. After a decade in finance, he founded Eduviai to give every international family the guidance he wished his parents had.

  • Harrow School (2003–2008) — full boarder, Head of House
  • Cambridge University — BA Economics, First Class
  • Goldman Sachs — VP, Asset Management, 8 years
  • Personal experience placing 3 nephews in UK prep schools
Dr. Sophie Martin
Co-Founder & CTO

Dr. Sophie Martin

French · Imperial College → DeepMind → Eduviai

Sophie leads Eduviai's AI matching engine. With a PhD in machine learning from Imperial and three years at DeepMind working on recommendation systems, she brings world-class technical expertise to the education sector. She's passionate about using AI to make life-changing decisions more transparent and fair.

  • Imperial College London — PhD, Machine Learning
  • DeepMind — Research Engineer, Recommendation Systems
  • Published 12 papers on matching algorithms and fairness in AI
  • Mother of two — both at UK schools in London
The team

Specialists Who Know the System Inside Out

Every team member brings specific expertise — from UK admissions consulting to the Chinese education market.

Emma Whitfield

Emma Whitfield

Head of UK Education

Former deputy head at a leading Surrey prep school. 15 years in UK independent education. Personally guided over 300 families through the school selection and application process.

Zhang Wei

Zhang Wei

China Market Director

Born in Guangzhou, educated at Cheltenham College and LSE. 10 years connecting Chinese families with UK schools. Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English.

Dr. Aisha Patel

Dr. Aisha Patel

University Admissions Advisor

Former admissions tutor at the University of Edinburgh. PhD in Education Policy. Specialist in UCAS strategy, personal statements, and postgraduate applications.

Tom Nakamura

Tom Nakamura

Head of Operations & Visa

Japanese-British. Former student visa caseworker at the UK Home Office. 8 years processing Tier 4 and Child Student Visa applications. Knows immigration from the inside.

What Drives Us

The Principles Behind Our team

Student-First, Always

Every person on this team asks the same question before every recommendation: "Is this genuinely the best option for this child?" If the answer isn't a clear yes, we keep looking.

Data Over Gut Feel

We've each spent years in education — but we don't rely on instinct alone. Every recommendation is backed by verified data: inspection results, exam performance, and real family feedback.

Honesty, Even When It's Hard

If a school isn't the right fit, we say so. If a family's expeteam ctations need adjusting, we have that conversation. Trust is built on truth — and that's non-negotiable for everyone on this team.

Start With a Simple Message

Tell us a bit about your child and what you're looking for. We'll help you explore schools that match your requirements, whether you already have a shortlist or you're just starting.