Team

Dr Selva Pankaj is an educator, knowing vs doing gap researcher and an educational leader. He co-founded Regent College London (RCL) with his life and business partner Tharshiny Pankaj in 2000, by providing private tuition for £20. In 1990, he started his life in the UK at the age of 19, growing up in war-torn Sri Lanka and coming to the UK with just £100 given to him by his father. 

He qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant and then achieved his MBA, when he was with Prudential Financial, Inc. for a decade since 1994. He spent the next five years in the real estate investment management sector and worked for Schroder, Grosvenor and Fortress Investment Group until 2008. In 2009, he became the CEO of Regent Global, a global technology-enabled education, real estate investment and management organisation. The group is celebrating 20 years of valuable service to its consumers. 

He had the great fortune to be the student of the late Professor Clayton Christensen at Harvard Business School in 2015, which changed his life completely in the quest to understand the meaning of natural laws, compared to manmade laws. He is spearheading RCL’s rapid and ground-breaking transformative evolution into a new British university, with the mission of creating a society with a growth mindset, instilling the belief that the end result of education is character and championing the lifelong learning habit. The entire project is indeed a paradigm shift.

As Group CEO of Regent Global, Tharshiny Pankaj exemplifies the values of determination, resilience and hard work. Her leadership is a testament to her commitment to excellence and innovation.  

From humble beginnings, Tharshiny navigated cultural shifts and educational challenges to pursue her passion for computer science at Brunel University. Together with her husband, Selva, Tharshiny founded Regent Global in 2000, beginning with private tuition and expanding into independent schools. Their dedication to fostering growth led to the creation of RCL.   

With a keen focus on harnessing the power of technology, Tharshiny spearheaded the first VR classroom in central London, setting a new standard for immersive learning experiences.   

Under Tharshiny’s guidance, Regent Global and RCL have become beacons of educational excellence, recognised by numerous awards and accolades. Her strategic vision is to make quality education globally accessible and affordable, empowering individuals for success. Through her dedication, Tharshiny is transforming education into a pathway for opportunity and growth. 

As Group Chief Commercial Officer at Regent Global, Carol-Ann Maxworth combines exceptional communication and leadership skills with strong administrative and time management abilities. She is a top-performing executive with 10 years of experience and achievements in administration and customer service.   

Prior to joining RCL in 2019, Carol-Ann served as Academic Administrator at London School of Commerce. In this previous role, she served as a Course Administrator for both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, leading the registration team to manage six student intakes annually.   

Carol-Ann also conducted presentations and induction sessions for new students, addressed queries from students and staff, and monitored attendance and visa compliance. Her responsibilities included guiding students through their academic journey by releasing results, explaining progression pathways and assisting with compliance meetings to reinforce college regulations.  

Additionally, she supported the exams department by uploading results and attending examination boards with partner universities. She contributed to academic and progression boards by taking detailed meeting notes and undertook various administrative tasks such as managing mail, maintaining student records and operating a busy switchboard.

As Group Chief Financial Officer at Regent Global, Paras finds great fulfilment in using finance as a strategic tool to foster sustainable growth and resilience within RCL. She is motivated by the opportunity to transform complex financial data into clear, actionable strategies that empower the College to make informed, forward-looking decisions. 

With over 15 years of experience in finance at Regent Global, Paras has a proven track record of driving financial transformation and improving performance in the education sector. She leads finance operations across multiple regions, works closely with stakeholders and provides strategic insights to support growth. 

Paras has implemented effective budgeting and forecasting processes, increased cost efficiency and built strong, accountable teams. Her expertise covers financial planning, risk management and compliance, with a focus on innovation and continuous improvement in finance functions. 

Paras holds a BEng Electrical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration in Finance. She also holds an Association of Chartered Accountants (ACCA) qualification. 

Paras’ career highlights include leading impactful initiatives to drive EBITDA improvement through effective cost controls, the establishment of cost-efficient overseas support teams, and the streamlining of payroll and budgeting processes to enhance accountability and efficiency. Paras has overseen upgrades to accounting systems and strengthened internal controls, resulting in improved financial accuracy. Additionally, she has successfully expanded and developed a high-performing finance team, fostering a collaborative and results-driven environment.

As Chief Operations Officer at RCL, Sam Reynolds is constantly working to enhance the student experience. He believes that education and innovation go hand in hand and takes great pride in building a vibrant community that drives this mission forward. 

Sam is most inspired by the opportunity to collaborate with RCL students. Their passion and energy fuel his work, making every day a fulfilling and exciting experience. 

Sam holds a BA in Criminology and an MA in Criminology, Youth Justice and Community Safety – both from Middlesex University London. Sam has extensive experience in both public and private higher education. He started his career in a graduate teaching role, where he gained valuable insights into academic life. 

Since then, he has gained experience across academic administration, student support, registry and broader university operations. This diverse background has equipped Sam with a comprehensive understanding of higher education, enabling him to continuously enhance the student and staff experience at RCL. 

Sam’s career highlights include supporting RCL to achieve a 92% student satisfaction rate in wellbeing services in the National Student Survey (NSS) 2024 and overseeing the successful opening of two new RCL campuses within a year. Sam has developed and implemented strategies to enhance efficiency and improve stakeholder experiences across various roles. He has also completed training at Stanford University in innovation and company culture, become a Fellow of the Association of Higher Education Professionals (AHEP), and championed equality and diversity initiatives, including leading unconscious bias training to foster an inclusive environment.

As Head of Academic Operations at RCL, Victor Torres is most inspired by cross-departmental collaboration. Working with colleagues from diverse functions equips Victor with different perspectives, which enables him to better understand each department’s needs, and ultimately, contribute more effectively to the RCL team’s collective mission.   

Prior to joining RCL, Victor worked in the fashion industry. During this time, he developed important skills such as organisation, problem-solving and collaboration. This professional background allows Victor to bring a fresh, adaptable perspective to his current role, enhancing his ability to drive effective outcomes and innovative strategies across every department.

As Group Commercial Operations Manager for Regent Global, Alka Tailor has been an important part of the RCL community for over 16 years, bringing extensive experience to various positions.  

Throughout her tenure, Alka has played a key role in shaping the organisation’s operational strategy and commercial direction. Her expertise spans project management, business development and operational efficiency, making her a pivotal figure in RCL’s growth and success.   

Equipped with a deep understanding of both the educational sector and commercial operations, Alka continues to drive innovation and optimise processes, ensuring Regent Global delivers the highest standards of service and value.