Colin Bell is CEO of COBIS

1. What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The people. I’m incredibly fortunate that my job takes me into schools and communities all over the world, where I meet people who are passionate about education and ambitious for young people. Seeing the impact that COBIS schools have on their students and communities is hugely rewarding. I’ve always said that those of us working in education are in the ‘futures market’ - what we do today helps shape the futures of young people. It’s difficult to think of anything more rewarding than that.

2. What/who inspires you?

Young people inspire me. I’m constantly struck by their optimism, creativity and ability to see possibilities that adults sometimes miss. But I’m also very conscious that many children around the world live with danger, inequity and deprivation, and don’t have the opportunities that every child should have. I’m inspired by the people and organisations who work every day to reduce those risks and maximise the life chances of children and young people. That sense of purpose is one of the things that drew me to education and continues to motivate me.

3. Which living person do you most admire?

Can I have three? Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, who led the Oxford team that developed the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, for showing what science, determination and collaboration can achieve; Michael Palin, for his spirit of adventure and endless curiosity about people, places and cultures; and Professor Dame Maggie Aderin, for her infectious enthusiasm for science and space, and her ability to make both accessible and exciting to young people.

I studied plant science before moving into education and training to become a teacher, and I’m fortunate that my job now takes me around the world, so perhaps there’s a theme there -  science, communication and curiosity about the world and the people in it.

4. What is the best part of your day?

Early morning. I try to practise ‘daylight before data’ – letting daylight and movement into my world before reaching for my phone or looking at a screen. I like being outside, getting some exercise and having a little thinking time with a piping hot cup of Yorkshire Tea (yes, other brands are available!). When I’m travelling, I also love that first glimpse of a new place in the morning. There is something about starting the day outside and moving that sets me up well for whatever follows.

5. Which talent would you most like to have?

To speak several languages fluently. Working internationally makes you very aware of how extraordinary multilingual people are. I travel extensively and always try to learn a few words wherever I am, but I would love to be able to move effortlessly between languages. Language gives you access not just to conversation, but to culture.

6. What is your favourite thing about the country you live in now?

I love the fact that in the UK we are never really much more than about 70 miles from the coast. The sea is a special place for me and my family, and we love visiting the coast – particularly paddleboarding at Lulworth Cove in Dorset. At the other end of the country, hiking in the Lake District in Cumbria is a passion. This is another very special family place for all the Bells. For a relatively small country, we have an extraordinary variety of landscapes, and I love getting out into them in each of the four seasons.

7. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Being a parent, with my wife Louise, to our twin lads. Seeing them grow, develop and begin to find their own way in the world is enormously rewarding. It’s particularly satisfying when we see some of our simple family principles being played out in daily life; for example, ‘good manners cost nothing’, ‘you can only make a first impression once’ and ‘always be alert to opportunities...’.

8. What part of the COBIS network do you value most?

The willingness to share. There is an extraordinary generosity within the COBIS community. Schools may operate in very different countries and contexts, but people give their time, expertise and experience freely to help one another. Whether that is Heads supporting Heads, teachers and support staff sharing practice, students connecting across continents or schools responding when another community needs help, that sense of belonging to something bigger is incredibly powerful.

9. What advice would you give your younger self?

Worry less about having everything mapped out. My own career certainly hasn’t followed a straight line – from horticulture and plant science to education and eventually COBIS. Some of the best opportunities have come from being curious, saying yes and being prepared to take a slightly unexpected route. I’d also repeat something I’ve said before about leadership: be yourself, know yourself and look after yourself. You’re much more useful to other people if you do all three.

10. What is the one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Perhaps that I was once part of a four-person team that won a Gold Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for creating a 30-tonne rock and waterfall garden.

Closer to home, I really enjoy contributing to my local community too. I’m a parkrun Event Director and an elected parish councillor. Both are very different from my day job, but I value being involved in the community where I live and doing my bit.