Gems plans elite school in Abu Dhabi as wealthy families move to the UAE - As-salamu alaykum
As-salamu alaykum. Gems Education, one of the world’s largest private school groups, is planning an exclusive new school in Abu Dhabi after opening what’s been called the UAE’s most expensive school in Dubai this year, amid a noticeable rise of very wealthy families relocating to the Emirates.
Dino Varkey, CEO of Gems Education, said the “significant reallocation of high-income families” into the UAE, especially after the Covid-19 period, has been a clear trend and supports building another institution aimed at that fast-growing segment. Gems recently opened the Gems School of Research and Innovation in Dubai Sports City, a $100 million campus with luxury facilities that welcomed students for the 2025–26 year.
Fees at the Dubai campus place it among the most premium K–12 options in the country. Mr Varkey said the strong demand for that school - almost 500 students on day one - shows how the affluent sector has matured, and that Abu Dhabi shares many of the same fundamentals that make Dubai attractive, so it’s a natural place to consider a flagship SRI campus.
Gems has long served premium and dual-income families, and now sees a new group of ultra-affluent households moving to the country. There’s interest from Abu Dhabi and other parts of the region for similar research-and-innovation-style schools, so expansion within the UAE and beyond is being considered.
The UAE’s efforts to attract foreign investment, plus its tax advantages and gateway position to the wider Middle East, Africa and South Asia, have pulled entrepreneurs, family offices and wealthy individuals to the Emirates. Recent reports expect a large number of relocating millionaires this year, driven by regulatory reforms and the appeal of a tax-free lifestyle.
The influx of wealthy residents is also drawing banks, wealth managers and other services, further boosting the number of high-income households. That expanding wealth base has helped push millionaire numbers and personal financial assets higher across the UAE, and firms like HSBC expect this growth to continue as more people from established wealth centres relocate.
While Gems wants to grow SRI as a flagship brand, the company says this doesn’t change its broader portfolio strategy. It still aims to grow across segments and add capacity - planning tens of thousands of new seats - with the UAE and nearby GCC markets being the primary focus for now. Saudi Arabia is seen as a key next market after the UAE, and there’s also interest in parts of Southeast Asia over the longer term.
Gems is open to both building new schools and considering partnerships or acquisitions as part of geographic expansion. The group says it’s well-capitalised for its plans and intends to fund growth largely from its own balance sheet, although past investor deals and financing arrangements have supported earlier expansions.
Mr Varkey noted that shareholder rotation cycles and the option of a public listing are part of long-term planning, but it’s too early now to take that step. For now, Gems remains focused on meeting growing demand for quality schools across the UAE and nearby markets as families continue to choose the Emirates as a base to build their lives.
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