Unlock insights at IHEF 2024

Jessica assumed the position of CEO in September 2022, after serving as Group Managing Director from 2019. Jessica leads a diverse global team focused on nurturing and amplifying the trust QS has earned over three decades from the worldwide higher education community, students, employers and policymakers.

Ben is one of the founding thinkers behind the QS World University Rankings and a veteran in the field of comparative institutional performance in global higher education. As Senior Vice President, Ben heads the institutional performance unit, dedicated to bringing together policy makers and HE leaders through the power of data and insights. 

Lara is a Senior Consultant at QS. Prior to joining the company, Lara held management roles in student recruitment and marketing teams within the higher education sector in Australia and the UK. Lara’s expertise is in international and domestic student recruitment and strategy, programme development, global engagement and industry partnerships. Lara holds a Level 7 Marketing Leadership Qualification from the Chartered institute of Marketing (UK) and a Marketing and dual degree in BCom Marketing and BA International Communications from Macquarie University (Australia).

Dr Helen Kelly has more than 20 years’ experience in senior leadership roles within Trinity College Dublin, University of Warwick, and SOAS University of London. Her skills and expertise span student recruitment, TNE and global partnerships, change management, external engagement, development, and strategic planning.

Jacques joined QS in 2016. Since then, he has led the development of strategic recommendations and solutions to enhance institutional performance, with a focus on global engagement, employability, and transformation strategies at both university and national levels. His work spans all world regions, with particular focus on the UK and Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America, where he has advised institutions and governments on strategic direction.

Prior to joining QS, Jacques held several directorial roles, where he was responsible for the strategic orientation and internationalisation and governance of academic programmes, graduate employability schemes, and student services at Science Po, Paris. Additionally, he lectured in International Relations. He also played a primary role within the founding team that established and launched the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA), Sciences Po’s Graduate School of International Affairs.

He holds a MSc in Management from ESSEC Business School and a Master’s in International Relations from Sciences Po, Paris.