Meet Our Senior Leadership Team Combining expertise and experience to work together for a bright future

Mark Rendell

CEO

With over 30 years in the ELT industry, Mark has led International House London as CEO since January 2019. His career has spanned senior roles across Poland, Saudi Arabia, China and the UK, including Deputy CEO (Professional Services) at English UK and Principal of St Giles International in central London. 
He holds an MSc in ELT Management and is a former Chair and director of English UK and English UK London. Mark now serves as a director of the International House World Organisation (IHWO) and sits on the Standards Committee at Cambridge University Press and Assessment. 
Outside of work, he has run two marathons, appeared in the football-based film The Bromley Boys, and is an up-and-coming bowls player. 

Caroline Turner

Director of Operations

Caroline Turner is Director of Operations at International House London, where she leads strategic and operational initiatives that strengthen educational quality, enhance the student experience and support the organisation’s future development.
Caroline‘s career has spanned teaching, teacher training and leadership roles, giving her a comprehensive understanding of the people, programmes and operations that underpin an exceptional learning experiences.
Caroline works collaboratively across the organisation to turn strategy into practice, driving innovation, continuous improvement and cross organisational working. Beyond IH London, she contributes to the wider education sector through the English UK London Committee, the Simon Greenall Award Committee, and as a speaker at industry conferences, sharing practical perspectives on leadership and organisational development.

Jason White

Director of Examinations

Jason has worked in education for over 25 years in secondary schools and private language schools, in both teaching and management and leadership roles both in the UK and in Germany. He is a keen linguist and speaks German, French and Italian. Jason rejoined IHL in Nov 2022 as Director of Exams having previously worked as Interim Director of Education. Jason and the exams team are responsible for building relationships with exam boards and ensuring an excellent candidate exam experience across all of our venues in UK, Ireland, Israel and Nigeria.

Arif Kaji

Director of Finance

Arif leads the Finance, Information Technology, and Human Resources functions and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). With over 20 years’ experience across manufacturing, engineering, financial services, automotive, and the charity sector, he is a commercially focused executive with a proven track record in strategic leadership, business transformation, organisational development, financial strategy, and sustainable growth.

Prior to his current role, Arif served with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), held the position of Chief Strategy Officer for a steel manufacturing business in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and most recently served as Finance Director for a UK humanitarian charity. He also sits on the Finance Panels of English UK and IHWO.

Manuel Benchetrit

Director of Young Learners

Manuel joined IHL in February 2024 and brings robust operational and strategic expertise from diverse environments, including the public and private sectors, cultural diplomacy, and education, as well as experience with young learners during summer programs. Manuel’s background encompasses curriculum design and language school leadership in various global contexts such as England, France, Sudan, Mexico or Oman. Manuel holds a master’s degree in foreign Language Education from la Sorbonne Nouvelle and is trained in business administration. 

As a strategic member of the senior team, Manuel is dedicated to enhancing operational excellence and crafting pivotal strategic initiatives for the future of young learners at International House. His commitment extends to fostering an inclusive and thoughtful organizational culture. Passionate about education, Manuel aims to create memorable well-rounded learning experiences for young individuals, enabling them to seize optimal opportunities in our rapidly evolving world. 

He eagerly looks forward to contributing to IHL’s transformative journey, uniting people and empowering them to reach their fullest potential.