Our team

As the Founding Head of Charterhouse Almaty, Michael Seaton brings two decades of leadership experience in some of the world’s most respected British independent and international schools.

His career has included the leadership of schools within the Brighton College and King’s College School Wimbledon families, and he previously served as Director of Education in the United Kingdom, overseeing strategy and standards across a group of premium independent schools. Earlier in his career he was recognised in the United Kingdom with an Independent Schools Association (ISA) Award for Excellence, highlighting his impact on raising standards and innovation in British education.

Michael’s professional journey has taken him across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, where he has successfully stewarded new schools to outstanding inspection outcomes and guided established institutions to even higher levels of achievement. He is widely regarded for his ability to blend academic ambition with holistic development, preparing pupils to thrive in a rapidly changing global future.

As Founding Head, Michael is responsible for shaping every aspect of Charterhouse Almaty’s vision, from academic design and co-curricular provision to staffing, admissions and campus development. Working in close partnership with Charterhouse, UK, he is ensuring that the Almaty school embodies both the rich heritage of a 400-year-old British institution and the forward-looking spirit of modern Kazakhstan.

His vision for Charterhouse Almaty is clear: to establish it as Central Asia’s most prestigious British school, preparing globally minded leaders of the future.

Aizhan Baizhanova brings over a decade of leadership in operations management and educational administration to her role as Chief Operations Officer at Charterhouse Almaty. With a strong track record of driving operational excellence, her work focuses on designing and implementing robust processes, optimising resource allocation, and fostering an environment where both staff and students thrive.

Before joining Charterhouse Almaty, Aizhan held senior operational roles in the international education sector within Kazakhstan, where she led initiatives around staff training, digital transformation and institutional growth. Her analytical background—particularly in financial modelling and data-driven decision-making—equips her to streamline workflows, enhance operational efficiency and ensure that the school’s infrastructure supports its academic ambitions.

At Charterhouse Almaty, Aizhan oversees day-to-day operations across campuses, manages cross-functional teams including facilities, IT, human resources and student services, and collaborates closely with the Senior Leadership Team to deliver on the school’s strategic priorities. She has a particular interest in leveraging technology to elevate the student experience, enhance staff engagement and deliver measurable outcomes for the school community.

Aizhan holds a degree from the University of Oulu in Finland, where she specialised in education technologies. A native of Kazakhstan, she is fully bilingual in Kazakh and Russian, and fluent in English—bringing a truly global outlook to her operational leadership.

Her vision for Charterhouse Almaty is to build an agile, future-ready operations platform that supports academic excellence, nurtures community, and enables every student to reach their full potential in a world of rapid change.

Anel Mengaliyeva has deep expertise in human capital management, organisational culture, and international recruitment. Her leadership blends strategic HR direction with a strong commitment to staff wellbeing, professional growth and the highest standards of safer recruitment and child protection.

Before joining Charterhouse Almaty, Anel held senior HR positions in the luxury hospitality sector, including The Ritz-Carlton, where she led initiatives in talent acquisition, leadership development and employee engagement.

She now oversees all aspects of HR operations for Charterhouse Almaty, including compliance, training, performance management and employee relations, ensuring that the school’s people strategy supports its mission of excellence and safeguarding.

Anel holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Kazakh Ablai Khan University of International Relations and World Languages and is currently obtaining her MBA in Strategic Management from City Business School (CIS). She has also lectured at universities, organised charitable initiatives, and supported leadership programmes such as the Female Leadership Initiative.

Alex Peterken, born in 1974 in Guildford, UK, brings decades of experience and passion for education to his leadership. His journey began at The Prebendal School, Chichester, where he excelled as Head Chorister and Head Boy. At 13, Alex earned a scholarship to Eton College, where he combined academic success with his love of music, receiving academic prizes in History and Theology.

He later studied Theology at Durham University, where he was also a Choral Scholar at Durham Cathedral, and later earned advanced qualifications in education, including an MA in Educational Management and a Doctorate in School Leadership.

Alex’s first post was at Charterhouse where he spent 11 years in key roles, including Head of Theology and Head of Higher Education & Careers Guidance, and Housemaster. In 2008, he joined Cheltenham College as Deputy Headmaster and became Headmaster two years later. Under his leadership, the school grew significantly, achieving record examination results and introducing innovative programmes like a mini-MBA for Sixth Form students. He returned to Charterhouse as Head in 2018.

As a leader, Alex is dedicated to helping students achieve academic excellence while exploring their talents through a wide range of co-curricular opportunities. His stellar record in education extends to his role as a Governor to Lambrook School and his work with numerous educational boards and organisations.

Karen Davies brings a wealth of experience in education and leadership to the establishment of Charterhouse Almaty. Educated at Cambridge University, she has also served as Deputy Head (Pastoral) at Charterhouse, UK, and was previously Principal at The Royal Ballet School for five years.

Karen began her career in banking before earning an MBA from Warwick Business School and then working as a management consultant for nearly 15 years, helping organisations across diverse industries to manage change and develop leadership. Eventually, her passion for education led her to become a teacher.

Karen is a strong advocate for British independent education and has two grown-up children who attended some of the UK’s leading schools, including Millfield School and Cheltenham College. She is currently Chair of the Board of Governors at Amesbury School, a leading preparatory independent school in the UK.