Tes appoints Wayne Strydom as Head of AI innovation

Tes has appointed Wayne Strydom as head of AI and innovation as it develops its Tes360 platform for schools and trusts.

Strydom brings more than 10 years of experience in AI strategy, digital transformation and technology delivery across large organisations. His role includes shaping Tes's AI strategy, supporting responsible innovation across the business and identifying ways schools and educators can use advances in artificial intelligence.

The appointment adds a senior AI-focused role to Tes's leadership team at a time when education groups are weighing how generative AI and related tools can be used in classrooms and school administration. For suppliers to the sector, that debate has increased pressure to demonstrate clear governance around data use, oversight and ethics.

Strydom has previously built and scaled AI and digital service divisions and led transformation programmes for major organisations. Tes also pointed to his earlier connection to education through a technology business aimed at helping underserved communities build skills for entering the workforce.

Tes provides schools and trusts with software and services covering timetabling, special educational needs and disabilities provision, behaviour management, staff wellbeing, parents' evenings, recruitment and professional development. It also publishes Tes Magazine, giving the group a presence in both software and education media.

At the centre of its product strategy is Tes360, a connected platform designed to bring together information from across school operations. The aim is to give school leaders and trust executives a broader view of activity across their organisations.

AI focus

Tes is positioning AI as part of that broader platform strategy rather than as a standalone product line. The approach reflects a wider trend in education technology, with suppliers embedding AI into existing workflows such as planning, analysis and administrative tasks instead of offering isolated tools.

For Tes, the focus is on reducing repetitive work and generating insights from data already held across the platform. That is particularly relevant for school groups facing budget pressure, staffing constraints and growing demand for clearer oversight across multiple sites.

"Education has always been about people, and AI should strengthen the incredible work that teachers, school leaders and education professionals already do," said Wayne Strydom, head of AI and innovation at Tes.

"My focus is on helping Tes further harness AI responsibly and ethically. The goal is not to replace human judgement, but to remove friction, automate repetitive tasks and empower educators with richer, more actionable insights derived from the unparalleled breadth and depth of the Tes platform that no other technology provider can achieve."

"What attracted me to Tes was the opportunity to combine my passion for education with an organisation that is already making a meaningful difference to schools and learners. Tes360 is a foundation for innovation, and I'm looking forward to working with teams across the business to explore how AI can help us deliver even greater value for our customers."

Platform strategy

Tes traces its roots back more than a century and has expanded from publishing into software and services for schools. In recent years, many education suppliers have tried to connect products acquired or developed across different parts of school management to create more unified platforms.

That has made interoperability and data sharing more important to commercial strategy. A connected system can create cross-selling opportunities for vendors, but schools also want assurance that data is handled carefully and that any automation does not undermine professional judgement.

Governance, ethics and data responsibility are central to Tes's approach as AI becomes more prominent in education. Those issues carry particular weight in a sector dealing with children's information, safeguarding responsibilities and high expectations around transparency.

Rod Williams, Chief Executive Officer at Tes, said: "Wayne brings a combination of deep technical expertise, strategic vision and a passion for education. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an ability to translate complex technologies into practical outcomes that deliver value. As we continue to evolve Tes360 and develop new ways to support schools, this experience will help ensure we remain at the forefront of responsible innovation."

The hire suggests Tes wants more formal leadership around how AI is developed and applied across its products and internal operations. For school customers, the practical test will be whether those tools save time and improve decision-making without adding complexity.

Strydom's appointment follows the launch of Tes360 and marks another step in the company's push to build a broader software platform for schools and trusts. His role will focus on how AI is introduced across that platform and how those tools align with the sector's demands for trust, oversight and clear educational value.