Stuart Millman
CFO | Value Creation, M&A, Transformation | Trusted Partner to Boards, Investors & CEOs in International Growth Markets
The move
MoveBritish Gas → Cognita Schools
TitleFinance Director, Customer Operations → Chief Financial Officer, Cognita Middle East
LocationStaines → Dubai
Career arcRecent arrival
Cross-border moveYes · Staines → United Arab Emirates
Years in UAE3.0
Total experience22.3 years
Cognita Schools headcount10,001+ employees
Cognita Schools industryEducation Management
Cognita Schools HQLondon, England
Cognita Schools founded2004
Cognita Schools typePrivately Held
Career arc
- Chief Financial Officer, Cognita Middle EastJun 2023 — Present
Cognita Schools· Dubai, United Arab Emirates· Full-time
- Chief Financial Officer, AsiaJun 2017 — Aug 2023
- Finance Director, Customer OperationsJul 2016 — Jun 2017
British Gas· Staines· Full-time
- Finance Director, British Gas Energy EfficiencyJan 2013 — Jun 2016
- Head of Business Performance ManagementDec 2009 — Jan 2013
- Commercial Finance ManagerJun 2007 — Dec 2009
- Audit SeniorDec 2003 — May 2007
BDO LLP· Reading, United Kingdom· Full-time
Education
- The Skinners School1993 — 2000
- Loughborough UniversityBachelor of Science - BS · Business, Economics and FinanceSep 2000 — Jul 2003
Top skills
Capital strategy Regulatory ComplianceCustomer ExperienceBusiness Partner SupportOperations ManagementRegulatory Affairs
About
I am a CFO with two decades of experience helping organisations grow and transform across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. I work closely with Boards, CEOs and investors to create value — whether through acquisitions, capital strategy, or transformation. What differentiates me is the breadth of my experience: from supporting a £2bn private equity exit, to doubling EBITDA in Asia, to building out Cognita’s Middle East platform in Dubai today. In every role, I’ve focused on driving growth while building resilient, future-ready organisations that enable long-term success.