Leadership Spotlight: Mónica Gilbert-Sáez

ISS Leadership Search was honored to support the Head of School search for the International School of Helsinki in Helsinki, Finland. Congratulations to Dr. Mónica Gilbert-Sáez for accepting the position, beginning August 2024! Mónica is currently the Principal at Rotterdam International Secondary School.

Mónica holds a PhD in Leadership and Management from the University of Nottingham, an MSc in Leadership and Management from Sheffield Hallam University, a BA Hons in English Studies from Sheffield Hallam University, and an NPQH qualification from the UK. Her career has taken her to South America, Dubai, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

In this feature, Mónica reflects on her personal experience and how it has shaped her career, including her perspectives on leadership as she looks forward to her new role at ISH.

What drew you to pursue the world of education? And what drew you into international education specifically?

Since my school days in Chile in the 1970s, when I grew up in poverty and under a dictatorship, I have understood the power of education to change my life. I didn’t have much, but I did have a passion for learning. I committed then to making sure I stretched myself as much as possible in my learning and working to help others have the same opportunities, whatever their background.

I bring this commitment to international education and leadership but with the added dimension of working to create truly global citizens who can do their bit for a better, more equitable, more peaceful world.

 International School of Helsinki

In terms of my leadership style, if there is such a thing, it’s being prepared to have difficult conversations and to step up when it comes to tough decisions. But I am always driven by what I feel is right for the young people in the school. As the Principal, the buck stops here, yet the more collaborative and diffused the decision-making processes are across the school, the happier I am. I like nothing more than seeing colleagues taking on new challenges and watching them grow.

I look forward to immersing myself in the Finnish way of doing things, to meeting the new school community there with families from all over the world, to building on the good work in place at the school and to identifying the ways in which the school can grow and adapt as the world we live in adapts around it.

What is an interesting fact or story about you that you would like to share?

I find myself in a rather unique spot as an international school leader. Most leaders in our field are men and predominantly white, but here I am—a woman with a diverse ethnic background who grew up in poverty during a particularly tough time for my country. These aspects of my identity aren’t just footnotes in my career; they deeply influence how I lead and see the world.

Being different in this way has its challenges, but it also gives me a distinctive perspective that I cherish and use to enrich our school community. I firmly believe that embracing diversity in leadership doesn’t just enrich us—it’s essential. That’s why I’m passionate about opening doors and creating opportunities for people from all walks of life in international education.

I’m here to advocate for change and to support others, both those who share my background and those who don’t. We all have something unique to bring, and I’m excited to help us harness that diversity to build better, more inclusive schools.

ISH campus