Our Directors
Esref Temel
Managing Director and Partner
Esref Temel holds a Master’s degree in Financial Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, USA and has spent 12 years of his career in the education field. In this short span he has successfully established a growing group of schools offering excellent education at International standards. His main area of focus is to establish and operate premium quality international education for the mid-tier and affordable market segment offering excellent quality of education in the region.
In the past two years, Esref, with his unique vision has been instrumental in transforming abandoned school sites to fully operational schools by upgrading the infrastructure and developing excellent facilities, turning a non-operational school building into a truly effective and efficient school campus with excellent sporting and state-of-art facilities.
Amna Al Shamsi
Director and Partner
Amna Al Shamsi, a Director at Bright Capital has an abundance of knowledge and experience in the UAE Education sector. Amna has a keen interest in School Improvement, Recruitment, Staff Welfare and curriculum development for Arabic and Islamic Studies. She plays an active role in enhancing the quality of Arabic and Islamic Curriculum delivered across the group schools in Dubai and is also involved in recruitment and development of Arabic and Islamic Departments in the group schools.
Amna comes with over 25 years of experience in the education sector and has served as Principal for several recognised public and private schools in Abu Dhabi for nearly 20 years. She has a teaching degree from Emirates University and been part of several training programmes organised by Abu Dhabi Education Zone in Strategic Planning and School Leadership.
Mehmet Cemil Temel
Partner and Director
Mehmet Cemil Temel has been with the group since its inception, contributing immensely towards the development of the schools and nurseries in the group. He takes a keen interest in health and safety, quality control, expansion plans and business development.
He has made investment across businesses including the Textile, Furniture and Real Estate industries. Mehmet works from our UK office and travels frequently to The United Arab Emirates to help with further business plans and establish strategic relationships.
Ms. Dolly Goriawala
Board Member
With 30 years of experience as a Principal in Dubai, Dolly Goriawala, fondly known as Ma’am Dolly, is a prominent figure in the city’s education landscape. She champions an inclusive ethos and promotes environmental awareness, while fostering exemplary attitudes to learning, behavior, and respect in her students. Holding advanced degrees in Educational Leadership and Administration, she is committed to lifelong learning and is currently pursuing the NPQEL qualification. Ma’am Dolly values community involvement and believes in creating a nurturing, positive school environment where students feel safe and happy. Her guiding principle is simple: “WEAR YOUR SMILE.”
Our Team
Benazir Akthar
Head of Operations
Benazir Akthar has been associated with Star International Schools for 8 years, and headed Operations for Star International School Mirdif for the first five years. Currently, she is overseeing Operations for Bright Capital Investment and its schools in Dubai. She has contributed immensely with school expansion plans, most recently to the successful project management of the newest school campus opened in February 2022.
Other than School operations Benazir is also actively involved in Schools Admissions and with the marketing team in developing the admissions and marketing strategy for the group of schools. She holds a post graduate degree in Mass Communication with specialisation in Marketing and Media Communications. Benazir has previously worked with several international Public Relations Firms with a key focus on Education, Lifestyle and Technology sectors.
Syed Ali Raza
Head of Finance
Syed Ali Raza is a certified Chartered Accountant and an experienced finance professional. Syed has spent nearly 10 years in various financial roles across industry sectors. Prior to joining Bright Capital, Syed was working as an Audit Manager responsible for organising and managing internal and external audits for companies in industries such as retail, manufacturing, hospitality, education and construction.
Syed comes with extensive knowledge in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and expert command over general accounting, forecast and budgeting, inventory management, payroll, and journal entry preparation.
Ameena Ziyaulhuq
Head of Human Resources
Originally from the state of Tamil Nadu in South India, Ameena completed her Master in Business Administration with a specialisation in Human Resources. She started her career in Dubai with Star Education Management Systems as Administrator and moved onto managing the HR department for the school group where she worked for nearly 12 years. As part of her extended role, she also supports as the PRO for the company and its schools.