Education ROI (w/ Brian Rogove)

Brian Rogove, Founder and CEO of Singapore-based A-Star Education is in the for-profit education business. And when you consider the premium that Asian families place on education, it’s easy to see how profits might follow. Brian doesn’t beat around the bush when talking about education’s return-on-investment. He says that while “for-profit” education feels like a dirty phrase to those in the West, Asians see the private sector as critical in shoring up public education short-falls throughout the region. Dissecting the relative strengths and weaknesses of education in Asia is as complex and diverse as the region itself. When it comes to public education, quality is oftentimes directly proportional to the level of government spending. Building schools and staffing them with well-versed teachers takes time and money. It’s for that very reason that large-scale private equity firms are entering the space. Baring, Blackstone and KKR are just a few of the many major investors increasing their holdings in education companies worldwide. And Asia is a key focus.