Arno Krug: Bringing the Best of Canadian Bilingual Education

A competent individual needs to be creative, energetic, problem-solving, a team leader, and more in order to excel in the business world. All such traits are the cornerstone of any successful business leader’s ability to keep things firm and stable. As we gave you a subtle hint about it, our most recent issue featured the astounding success tale of Arno Krug, the CEO of Maple Bear Global Schools.

In this context, our editorial team engaged in an engaging and enjoyable virtual conversation with Arno Krug, who shared some insight on his overall entrepreneurial career and the specifics of the business that we are eager to share. We sincerely hope and wish that this fascinating read will enrich the lives of our readers all over the world and inspire them to pursue their goals.

The Journey of Arno Krug

Arno Krug’s professional expertise perfectly aligns with Maple Bear Global Schools’ principles and vision of creating a passion for life-long learning and putting children’s education first. Arno Krug is passionate about bringing positive change to the world through education.

Arno has held executive positions with various businesses throughout his career, including ALL Logistics, AB InBev, Pearson PLC, and Wall Street English. As the CEO of Maple Bear Schools, he is currently in charge of the organization’s structures, budgets, KPI management, and long-term financial viability. Additionally, he is in charge of developing new strategic alliances and cooperating closely with current and future joint venture partners to support the growth of international schools and students.

In terms of education, he holds a BSc in Law, an MA in Administration, two MBAs—one in Logistics and one in Franchising—and numerous certificates from Harvard Business School, including those in disruptive strategies, global business, and leading management in education.

Definition of Leadership: A Blend of Inspiration, Motivation, and Guidance

Being able to inspire, motivate, and guide the best teams toward their full potential is a sign of good leadership. Arno and his team put a lot of effort into recruiting top talent for the team—professionals who are knowledgeable, well-trained, empowered, and driven to work toward the same goals!

According to Arno, “The secret to great management is being able to appreciate the significance of communicating a distinct strategic vision for the business to his employees. This vision outlines goals as well as a strategy for achieving them. Next, he works to have open lines of communication with the team, ensuring that instructions are clear and precise and prioritizing hearing and comprehending the needs and worries of workers and other stakeholders.”

Finally, the visionary leader looks to leverage his skills to prevent the process from becoming bogged down, such as efficient time management, responsibility delegation, and giving his team freedom over decision-making.

The Happy and Healthy Workplace

“As a global company, we have access to multiple markets and the opportunity to learn best practices and foster innovative ideas in the education field,” Arno said while explaining the company’s distinctive culture. “We support employees by talking about them and giving them the space they need to be evaluated and enhanced, as suggested by our specialists. Active listening across departments, parent groups, joint venture partners, and owners is crucial during this process, and I must do both while providing my team with the support and autonomy they need.” 

Combating the Unforeseen Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the global school system. In an effort to stop the virus’s spread, several educational institutions were obliged to close their doors or implement online learning strategies. How people learn has significantly changed as a result of this.

The pandemic also opened up new business prospects for the sector, such as the growth of distance education and the rise in demand for online learning resources. The main problem was switching from traditional to virtual models while maintaining the same level of educational quality in an unforeseen situation.

Although it required a lot of work, Maple Bear’s response was prompt and well-organized: the teachers received complete support and online training from Canadian experts and educators, including real-time monitoring of the classes. Consequently, they could completely match their platforms with the new virtual learning world in less than 90 days.

Transformation in the Approach of Maple Bear Global

After COVID, the leading team recognized the need to improve the neighborhood and connect parents, children, and teachers entirely online at home. Since then, the Maple Bear Global Community has provided more than 7 million online courses. Their Global Connections program has also continuously improved to serve students and teachers excellently as part of this new reality. It enables hybrid teaching between in-person and online learning whenever necessary.

Through group projects and collaborative activities, this unique program enables students to establish connections with classmates from other nations and cultures. These initiatives set Maple Bear apart from the competition and are only possible because of how broadly they operate. Students gain knowledge of different cultures and the world while also fostering understanding and respect for cultural differences. Global Connections activities are designed to be fun and enriching for students to help them learn in meaningful ways and connect with others in ways that go beyond geographical boundaries.

“Our dedication to our students is reflected in our numbers: between 2020 and 2022, we opened 45 new schools, increased our student enrollment rate by more than 50%, and reached 17 new countries”, Arno proudly quoted.

Arno’s Take on the Education Industry

The most recent major trend will be edutainment (educational entertainment), which combines gaming, hybrid, adaptive, and blended technology with traditional on-campus education to foster socialization, cognitive growth, and engagement.

If edutainment can be considered a gateway where real and virtual realities meet, accessed through virtual or augmented reality devices, it could significantly impact how we engage students in shared activities. However, it is essential to remember that technology should be used to enhance education, not as a substitute for it.

The Future Ahead

They work to stay ahead of the curve by making plans and sharing their ideas with the team. The luminary explains the future vision of the company: “I hope to continue to deliver the best of Canadian education for a global future to 100.000 students in over 1.000 schools in 5 years.”

“As a father, I hope to see my children’s high school and university graduations. I want to commemorate 25 years of marriage with my wife, Marise because she is the reason I am so passionate about living. My personal objective is to spend more time with my family and continue to be a valuable member of society”, he added.

Token of Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Arno gave the following advice to business owners who are just starting:

• Creating a well-trained team that is dedicated to the company’s mission and understands the strategy Gives them the autonomy to act. Trust is a key part of being successful.
• Maintain a mindset of continuous learning, seeking new opportunities to develop yourself and improve your skills;
• Be proactive: don’t wait for opportunities to appear; look for ways to grow and take the initiative;
• Make good connections. A strong and positive contacts network can help you advance your career. Keep those relationships active.
• Value problem-solving: Companies face many problems and challenges and need people who can think creatively and find practical solutions.