Markus Badde has a background in journalism and publishing. Markus studied at the CELSA (Sorbonne University – Paris IV), before working in the French media and communications sector. Markus co-founded ICEF in 1991. After his first period at ICEF, Markus went on to hold various senior marketing positions at Cisco Systems, the world leader in Internet networking, before re-joining ICEF as CEO in 2004. Markus speaks eight languages and is at home nearly anywhere in the world.
Formerly the Global Digital Marketing Director at Study Group, Tony led teams in Singapore, Shanghai, Sydney, New York & the UK recruiting students for universities in the USA, Australia, and Europe. Before this, he established the digital marketing footprint for INTO University Partnerships. Tony was a co-founder of Global Campus, serving on the board alongside Sir Drummond Bone, Sir Anthony Smith & Sir Graeme Davies. Tony studied Digital Disruption Strategy at Oxford University and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Martijn’s career has predominantly been within the student & youth travel sector, including an 8-year tenure as global director of the International Student Identity Card (ISIC): the only internationally recognised official student ID and travel discount card with distribution spanning more than 130 countries. His international profile is characterised not only by his studies but also by the places where he has lived and worked: Martijn studied Japanese and French at the University of Applied Sciences in Maastricht, International Business Communications at the Radboud University Nijmegen, and has lived and worked in Frankfurt, Paris, and Tokyo. Based in Amsterdam, he speaks 7 languages.
Ian’s multicultural heritage has made him a globally minded, multilingual leader with a deep appreciation for international collaboration. Born in Brussels to parents of English, Dutch, and Indonesian heritage, he was exposed to a variety of cultural influences from an early age. After earning a BA with Honours from the University of Leeds, Ian began his career in publishing with Time Inc. in London, before transitioning to the field of international student mobility through education fairs in Brazil. He joined ICEF in 2009, moving from Brazil to Barcelona the following year, where he is still based today. Over the past 16 years, he has played a central role in ICEF’s global growth, particularly in developing internationalisation strategies across North America. His leadership and strategic insight led to his appointment as Chief Revenue Officer, overseeing global revenue initiatives and driving innovation across the ICEF portfolio. A frequent public speaker and advocate for ethical recruitment, Ian contributes to shaping industry standards and best practices in agent engagement and international education.
Matthew Cope has a background of over 30 years in Banking and Finance. Matthew worked with American Express for over 20 years, doing several roles for them, though most recently head of finance for International Payments and the Cash Trading business. Since leaving American Express Matthew has work as a freelance consultant, specialising in M&A work. Matthew is CIMA qualified accountant.
Amy has over 10 years’ experience in senior marketing positions across a range of industries including international education, travel and financial services. Her international experience has seen her work for organisations in the UK, Australia and Hong Kong where she has led strategic marketing projects and multinational teams. Amy has a BA (Hons) in Business Studies and postgraduate qualifications in marketing and digital marketing.
Brittany has been immersed in the international education space since 2010, with a strong focus on student recruitment strategy, agency engagement, and building global partnerships. Before joining ICEF in 2015, she led international business development at Cappex, where she played a key role in launching and scaling the company’s global portfolio. In that role, she worked closely with institutions to enhance their international marketing efforts and connect with qualified students worldwide.
At ICEF, Brittany collaborates with schools, educators, and recruitment partners to support sustainable internationalisation and promote best practices in student mobility. She has designed and delivered professional development programming for a wide range of audiences and is known for her practical, inclusive approach to global engagement.
Originally from California and now based in the Midwest, Brittany holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, with a minor in Psychology. She brings a people-first mindset to her work and is deeply committed to expanding access to international education for all learners.
Isabel Vogt holds a Master’s degree in Communications, Media Studies & Political Science from the Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. Before joining ICEF in 1996, she held various jobs at publications owned by the Gruner + Jahr Media Group in Berlin. Isabel has held a number of positions at ICEF, most recently VP of Events and Logistics, which she has held since 2009. During her time at ICEF, Isabel has been responsible for the conceptualisation and successful organisation of over 300 events in 45 countries around the world. Isabel is based in the South West of the UK, where she has lived for over 20 years.
Nick has worked within international education since 2008, beginning his career with various roles at Study Travel Magazine. He studied Joint Honours Spanish & Management at the University of Leeds, including an Erasmus Year at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, later completing an MBA at the University of Salford. Since joining ICEF in 2014, Nick has progressed from Business Development Manager to VP EMEAA, and, as of 2025, VP of Global Sales. In this role, he leads and oversees ICEF’s sales operations across all international markets.
Since 1989, Rod Hearps has worked in a variety of roles in the international education industry. Rod has taught ESL, worked as a Principal and as Marketing Manager of an Australian ELICOS College. He co-owned an education agency for 7 years in the 90’s and started recruiting international students via the internet in 1994. Rod was also an early pioneer of student enquiry generation before joining ICEF in 2006.
Ross began his international education career in 2007, when he moved to Brazil, where he spent 5 years organising student fairs across South and Latin America. He then returned to the UK, where he helped brands such as Harrods, Selfridges, HSBC, and British Airways to connect with international students. In 2013, he joined ICEF, and progressed through various sales and business development roles to become VP of Partnerships and Publishing. He is currently the VP of Global Brand Solutions, responsible for managing ICEF’s market intelligence product line, including ICEF Monitor. He also works with key accounts worldwide to create custom advertising and marketing partnerships.
Seher first joined ICEF in 2007, holding various positions in agent relations management, sales, and business development. She then became Director of Central and Eastern Europe, before being appointed VP of EMEAA in 2025. With nearly 20 years’ experience in international education, she specialises in advising educational institutions across Europe on how to grow and diversify their international student recruitment efforts. She enjoys collaborating closely with educators and industry service providers to help them develop strategies for engaging agents and marketing their brands to the right audiences within the international education sector. Seher has a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Translation Studies from London Metropolitan University, as well as a degree in Translation Studies and Political Science from the University of Bonn. She is fluent in German, English, Turkish and Kurdish and has an intermediate knowledge of French.
Stacey Crosskill - VP, Training & Professional Development
Stacey has 14 years’ experience in international education, working in both the UK and US, where she led global teams. In that time, she developed and implemented digital marketing, content, and training strategies for organisations including INTO University Partnerships and Study Group. Since joining ICEF in 2022, she has relaunched its agent training programme through ICEF Academy, expanded its professional development footprint and, most recently, introduced a Brand Level Training platform for institutions.
