Cognita acquires AAESS: the advisors

The Dubai office of law firm Addleshaw Goddard has advised Cognita on its acquisition of Al Ain English Speaking School (AAESS) from Stella Investments, advised by the Squire Patton Boggs corporate M&A team in Dubai. This marks Cognita’s first school in Al Ain and its ninth in the Middle East, further cementing the group’s growing presence in the region.

Addleshaw Goddard team

The acquisition of AAESS was led by a Dubai-based team from Addleshaw Goddard helmed by partner Lowri Llwyd (pictured above), and managing associate Rachael Norris, who were supported by a cross-sectoral team spanning corporate (Michelle Davis-Ratcliffe, Rania Sallam, and Sachin Rayit); Employment (Rachel Hill and Lucy Melville); and real estate (Jeremy Scott).

Squire Patton Boggs team

The Squire Patton Boggs team was led by corporate M&A partner Omar Momany (pictured below left) and corporate counsel Leila Drissi (pictured below right), assisted by a cross-practice group including Milena Bohn, Thamer Shomar, Leila Morad (corporate M&A, London and UAE), Habib Saeed, Ayah Abdin (employment, UAE), and Assad Bishara (dispute resolution, UAE).

Cognita

Launched in 2004, Cognita is a UK-based global education group that operates more than 100 schools across 16 countries, educating over 90,000 students. Its acquisition of AAESS follows previous expansions in Kuwait and Dubai, which Addleshaw Goddard also advised on.

These recent deals reflect a broader trend of increasing investment in the education sector across the Middle East, revealing the region’s growing demand for high-quality institutions and the strategic importance of expanding access to global-standard education.

Al Ain English Speaking School

Established in 1978, Al Ain English Speaking School has been providing academic excellence in the heart of the UAE to a diverse community of 2,000 students from Nursery through to Sixth Form.