We are delighted to announce that Frank Maassen has been appointed as Group Chief Executive Officer for Cognita.  Frank will join us on September 1, 2021, working closely with outgoing CEO Chris Jansen, who remains in place until end October 2021, to ensure a smooth transition.

Frank has a distinguished track record as a senior executive and brings extensive global experience from across multiple sectors and industries, including retail, consumer and B2B.

After completing his first degree in mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Munich, Frank began his career as a Project Engineer for the luxury car manufacturer BMW in Germany, while completing a PhD in Economics at the University of Göttingen.

Frank has held senior operating and CEO positions for a range of companies, including the international construction equipment specialist Hünnebeck Group, the French furniture and electrical retailer BUT and private investment companies Sun European Partners and OpCapita.

Patrick De Maeseneire, Chairman of Cognita, said: “We welcome Frank to the Cognita family. I am convinced that his global mindset, combined with his collaborative style, will be a good fit with our people and culture at Cognita.”

Frank looks forward to meeting colleagues throughout Cognita in due course and comments: “I am excited to join Cognita with its distinctive culture, exceptional team and holistic approach to education. The focus on academic excellence in conjunction with the development of young people’s wellbeing and character is incredibly powerful and represents an exceptional opportunity to make a positive contribution to society.”

A native of Germany, Frank is married to architect Doris Maassen and they have three children, aged 22, 20 and 16.