CEO for ICMS and Aspire Institute

We are delighted to welcome our new CEO for ICMS and Aspire Institute

Rowan Courtney-O’Connor, previously Chief Operating Officer of International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS), Aspire Institute, International Sport College Australia (ISCA) and Aspire English, has been promoted to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), following the resignation of CEO, Dr Dominic Szambowski. 

Rowan Courtney-O’Connor’s appointment as the new CEO of ICMS, Aspire Institute, ISCA and Aspire English is effective from 15 September, 2020. 

Mr Courtney-O’Connor brings a wealth of higher education experience to this position at ICMS, which was founded in 1996 as a career-focused higher education institute, located Sydney, with campuses in the Northern Beaches and the CBD. 

Over the past two and a half decades ICMS and pathway provider Aspire Institute have both grown in size and reputation and currently offer a wide range of industry-leading, higher education qualifications at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. 

As an alumnus of ICMS, and the holder of an Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) from the University of Sydney, and with over 15 year of senior management experience and 10 years of higher education experience, the new CEO for ICMS and Aspire Institute is well-placed to lead the institution and it’s pathway provider brands into the future. 

Mr Courtney-O’Connor inherits a strong leadership team established and led by Dr Szambowski, of which he has been a member over the past five years. He has been a long serving member of the Academic Board, the Executive Management Group and is an invited participant of the ICMS Board of Directors. 

In 2012, Mr Courtney-O’Connor created and launched the higher education pathway provider Aspire Institute and ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) provider Aspire English. In the role of Vice President of the Aspire brands, he provided leadership to the academic team and quality assurance teams as well the as marketing and student recruitment teams. 

Moving into the Marketing and Student Recruitment department at ICMS in 2015, Mr Courtney-O’Connor led the teams to grow both domestic and international student enrolments year-on-year and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2018, where the Operations and Student Experience departments were also added to his portfolio. 

Mr Courtney-O’Connor has worked closely for years with former CEO for ICMS and Aspire Institute, Dr Dominic Szambowski, in all areas of leading a higher education institution. 

“It is an honour to build upon the solid foundation Dominic laid at ICMS, and to take the college forward as we aim for further growth, as well as consolidation of what we have already achieved.”

“I would like to thank the Board of Directors for their vote of confidence in appointing me as the new CEO, and I look forward to taking ICMS and Aspire Institute, with the International Sport College Australia and also Aspire English to new heights,” said the Mr Courtney-O’Connor. 

What the Board of Directors say about the new CEO for ICMS and Aspire Institute:

• “As chair of the academic board, I welcome and fully support the appointment of Rowan Courtney-O’Connor as CEO at ICMS.” John Loxton BSc (Hons), MSC (Melbourne), PhD (Cantab), Chairman KOI Academic Board, Member AIBM Council of Directors.
  
• “I am delighted that Rowan Courtney-O’Connor has been appointed to the CEO role. He brings not only significant industry experience to the role but also fresh insights and new energy.” Kathryn Refshauge MBiomedE UNSW PhD UNSW
  
• “I have known Rowan for many years. Since joining the college, he has shown exceptional capacity to adapt to his changing roles. He will make an excellent leader for the college.” Richard Gelski
  
• “I am delighted that Rowan has taken on the role of the new CEO. His entrance knowledge and experience, as well as energy and enthusiasm, over many years in the education sector and with ICMS in particular makes him the perfect choice to lead the college through this difficult pandemic time and towards an exciting future.” Trevor Loewensohn