Mr. Brett Girven has been the principal of the Arbor School Dubai since 2019 and has more than ten years of experience in the Middle East. Having moved to the UAE from his native New Zealand, Mr. Girven has a critical eye for detail, an in-depth understanding of the Dubai and UAE educational climate, and a relentless drive to ensure a high-quality education is provided for every child at the Arbor School.

Mr. Girven's formative years were spent growing up on the beaches and in the waves of beautiful New Zealand, trekking through the pristine forests and sliding down mountains. It is no wonder that through these pastimes, he developed a passion for the environment and went on to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Science, majoring in Zoology. Mr. Girven continued to study Environmental Science at post-graduate level, and throughout his teaching career has always enjoyed the Ecology and Environmental Science side of teaching Science and Biology.

Mr. Girven’s experience of FS-Year 13 schools, and expertise in the secondary phase, ensures that the future development of the Arbor School is carefully balanced to ensure the holistic growth of all learners, leading to academic excellence.

Mr. Girven lives in Dubai with his wife, three young children, and continues to enjoy sports and the outdoors, including coaching rugby teams, completing triathlons and enjoying Dubai's beautiful beaches. Although his downtime largely includes reading educational and leadership articles, books and blogs; he also enjoys going to the movies with his wife and walking their dog.