Qatar Airways and Orbital Education have announced the appointment of Derek Laidlaw as executive principal of Oryx International School for the 2018/19 Academic Year.
Laidlaw will head the new world-class campus offering state-of-the-art facilities for students from Foundation Stage 1 through Year 13, at Mesaimeer off Barwa City Road in Doha. 
Oryx International School is a premium education facility dedicated solely for the use of children of Qatar Airways’ employees, according to a statement issued by the airline yesterday.
“The school reflects Qatar Airways’ commitment to its staff, by ensuring both employees and their children receive the first-class training and education needed to excel.
“The school follows the National Curriculum of England, which provides students with a challenging learning environment that is balanced, interactive and supports their development in all activities.”
David Pottinger, CEO of Orbital Education, which operates Oryx International on behalf of Qatar Airways, said: “Laidlaw clearly demonstrated how his leadership experience made him the ideal candidate to lead the school forward into the future. We look forward to seeing him develop a five-star educational institution in Doha for the children of Qatar Airways staff. We are delighted to welcome him on board.”
Laidlaw, who will take up his post on August 1 joins Oryx International School from the position of Head Teacher at King’s College, The British School of Alicante, which he led for more than seven years to become the leading international school in Spain, achieving an Excellent grading in all categories from the Independent Schools Inspectorate of the UK. Laidlaw has earlier held a leadership position at Doha College for six years.
Laidlaw firmly believes in taking responsibility to ensure that young people receive the best upbringing and education possible, and that they are equipped to become future leaders.
“I am delighted to be joining Oryx International School at such an exciting time. I am looking forward to engaging with students in learning discussions, helping them to find their ‘eureka’ moments to enable them to prepare themselves for the challenges ahead,” Laidlaw said.