A Lichfield nursery group has moved into the international market after completing the acquisition of 60 nurseries in Singapore and Malaysia.
The Busy Bees group is already the UK’s largest childcare provider but has now marked its global intentions with the addition of the new settings.
John Woodward, co-founder and group managing director of Busy Bees, said: “This is a wonderful start to the year and an exciting new chapter of the Busy Bees story.
“This opportunity has arisen because of the success of our brand right here in the UK. Our nurseries have always been locally driven and we’ve worked hard to develop a national network of quality childcare. We’re now taking this winning formula on to an international platform.
“We’ve been incredibly fortunate to work closely with June Rusden, CEO for Knowledge Universe Singapore, and her management team over the last six years and there is a natural synergy between us. We endeavour to provide the very best care and learning opportunities possible in age-specific safe and nurturing environments, however, the most important thing we do at Busy Bees is to ensure that we have the right people at the heart of the business; people who are passionate about delivering the best care, and assuring the best outcomes for our children.”
The new Busy Bees South East Asia branch will provide childcare to over 6,500 children aged 2 months to 6 years-old.
June Rusdon, now CEO of Busy Bees South East Asia, said: “We are delighted to have become part of the Busy Bees family. The company has an enviable reputation in the UK and we share the same vision and ambition.
“This union has created wonderful new opportunities for us all and we look forward to achieving great things with a renewed energy and perspective. It will enable us to continue to flourish and provide more quality care and education to more families.”