Find out more about the IB executive team.
Dr Nicole Bien – Chief Schools Officer
Dr Nicole Bien joined the IB in 2016 after spending over 15 years advocating for holistic and equitable education as Head of Ventana School, non-profit Board officer and curriculum advisory roles in international school, youth legal education and affordable teacher resources. Her experience led to her doctoral research on high-stake assessment policy and its impact on marginalized students and her professional focus on curriculum and pedagogy at the IB.
Having served as Head of PYP and MYP and Director of Learning and Teaching, Nicole has contributed to the launch of the Enhanced PYP, bespoke early years resource, evaluation of the MYP Next Chapter, and the review of the Diploma Programme. Combining this cross-programme perspective and her corporate experience, Nicole has been instrumental in supporting the IB 2030 strategy development to reimagine how the organization and its wider community can transform education to meet social, environmental, and technological opportunities and challenges of our time.
Nicole holds a PhD and MA in education, both from the University of Sydney, an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA from Yale University.
Matt Costello – Chief Business Development Officer
Matt Costello's primary focus is growth of the IB in line with its mission. In order to provide an IB education to more students, Matt is responsible for developing and expanding the IB’s services for the future, with a focus on innovative and improved products and services, and digital transformations. He has led on the development of IB’s professional learning platform, IB Exchange, has piloted an online version of the IB’s Diploma Programme, and is currently overseeing the IB’s transition to Digital Assessment.
Matt oversees six teams in the Business Development Office including Business Development, Marketing and Communications, Recognition, Commercial Publishing, Digital Services, New Product Development and IT, who are collectively responsible for driving organizational strategic transformation. Matt also acts as the Washington DC Global Centre Manager, responsible for overall staff well-being and business continuity.
Matt brings over 15 years of senior leadership experience in education, assessment, and not-for-profit organizations. Matt served as Director of Global Operations at the IB before being appointed Chief Business Development Officer. Prior to joining the IB in 2018, Matt was Vice President of Operations at the College Board which delivers the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®), SAT® and PSAT™ programs.
Matt holds an MBA from the University of Maryland with a concentration in statistics.
Marco Dondi – Deputy Director General
Marco joined the IB on January 1st, 2024, after nearly 15 years of experience in strategy consulting at McKinsey & Company. He has consulted governments and not-for-profit organizations in the fields of education and adult training, labor markets, economic development, migration, and government delivery. He has a very international profile with experience across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. In his role as Deputy Director General, he helps the IB in delivering its strategy while ensuring it builds the capabilities and culture to sustainably achieve its mission.
Marco is motivated by a profound commitment to enhancing the quality of life globally and helping as many people as possible to become better versions of themselves. His work during his consulting career has reached millions of individuals through projects including curriculum reforms, adult re-skilling programs, transforming employment services, developing economic development plans and strategies, and the noteworthy publication of his award-winning book, "Outgrowing Capitalism: Rethinking Money to Reshape Society and Pursue Purpose".
He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from INSEAD in France and Singapore and a Master's and Bachelor of Management from Politecnico di Milano.
Dr Shehzad Jeeva – Chief Education Officer
A prominent figure in the field of education, Shehzad is driven by his commitment to creating a better world through quality education. As the CEO of the Aga Khan University Examination Board since 2014 and the recipient of the Award of Distinction in 2022, his visionary leadership and persistent efforts have transformed the Examination Board from a start-up into a model of excellence and a financially sustainable organization.
In addition to his most recent CEO role, Shehzad serves as the Vice President of the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA). He has held key positions, including Chairman of the Inter Board Coordination Commission (IBCC) and the National Steering Committee of the Federal Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan. He has been a member of the Senate of Karakoram International University, the National Curriculum Council, the Sindh Curriculum Council, the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board and the Punjab Examination Commission.
Shehzad has played a pivotal role in shaping education policies in Pakistan, introducing innovative solutions, and making a significant impact through initiatives like the new grading system and the Assessment Policy Framework of the Government of Punjab in 2020. His involvement extends to developing promotion policy guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He is based in The Hague Global Centre
Umeet Shah – Chief Finance Officer
Umeet Shah joined the IB as CFO on 1 October 2024. Umeet brings over 20 years of extensive experience as a CFO, having held strategic finance leadership roles in both large multinational corporations and dynamic entrepreneurial organizations. His career began at global audit firms, Arthur Andersen in India and KPMG in Singapore. He has served as CFO for NBCUniversal – Networks APAC, where he contributed to numerous growth and digital transformation initiatives. Additionally, he worked at Nimbus Sport International and recently at POPS Worldwide, overseeing periods of rapid growth and implementing significant finance transformation projects.
Throughout his career, Umeet has demonstrated a hands-on, adaptable approach, successfully managing multiple priorities including growth initiatives, digital transformations, service launches, finance operations and fundraising. His global experience spans India, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam, allowing him to bring a broad perspective and deep expertise to our team.
Umeet is a Chartered Accountant from India, holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Mumbai, and has completed the Advanced Management Programme from INSEAD.
Andrea Smith – Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer
Andrea Smith's primary focus is to help the organization develop and implement a clear strategic vision for change that supports its mission. She leads strategy, research, HR, data protection, governance and change management to support business and cultural change across the organization. Andrea holds an MBA and a BA in Hispanic and French studies.
Joining the IB in 1994 and serving in leadership roles across diverse functions, Andrea has been a key player in helping our organization’s operations mature, and has supported many large scale transformation projects including the creation of DP Online Courses, major internal restructuring programmes, the relocation of IB operations to the Hague and Washington DC, and the changes to IB’s assessment fee structure to lower the cost of examinations for students.
Loic Tallon – Chief Digital Officer
As CDO, Loic drives the strategy, delivery and outcomes of the IB’s technology portfolio. Loic took a leading role in developing the IB’s Technology Playbook and is implementing the organization’s new technology operating model. Prior to becoming CDO in September 2024, Loic served as the IB’s Director of Digital Transformation.
Loic brings more than 20 years of experience as a digital leader, helping social sector organizations leverage digital to transform and scale their impact. He previously was the Chief Digital Officer for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and has consulted on digital strategy for institutions across Europe, North America and the Middle East, both for his own firm and as an associate partner with McKinsey & Company. Loic holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Nottingham and a Master of Arts from the Courtauld Institute of Art.
He is based in The Hague Global Centre.
