Dubai,UAE – LEORON, a leading corporate training and EdTech provider in the GCC, today announced the acquisition of Bradfield Learning & Development, a long-established UK-based CIPD provider that has operated in Middle East markets for more than three decades. The acquisition significantly deepens LEORON capability in giving organisations across the region access to a trusted, long-established route into professional HR and L&D qualifications.
Founded in Cambridge, UK, in 1989, Bradfield was one of the first CIPD-authorised centres in the region, achieving CIPD-authorised status in 1992 and delivering the first qualification program in the GCC in 2004. It was also the first centre in the GCC to deliver CIPD Level 3 qualifications in Arabic, opening professional HR qualifications to a much wider audience across the region. For more than 20 years, Bradfield has trained over 6,000 HR and Learning & Development professionals across the GCC, with around 400 students graduating through its programmes each year.
The acquisition adds first-rate CIPD expertise and Arabic-language qualification delivery to a training portfolio that already spans 400+ certified programmes across 17 knowledge areas, accredited by more than 50 internationally recognised associations and institutes. For organisations across the region, this creates a more complete learning pathway, from UK-accredited CIPD qualifications through to executive education, leadership development, and bespoke digital learning, all under one roof at LEORON.
LEORON delivers more than 2,000 instructor-led programmes and trains over 50,000 professionals each year across 60+ global cities, making it one of the region’s most established learning and development partners. Adding Bradfield strengthens the position LEORON holds in the HR professional qualifications market, a segment that has grown quickly across Saudi Arabia and the GCC as organisations invest in building credentialled, future-ready people functions aligned with national workforce agendas. Combined with an existing CIPD partnership at LEORON, Bradfield’s long-standing authorised centre status and established client relationships create a stronger platform for delivering CIPD qualifications at scale across the GCC.
Bradfield’s track record includes being among the first authorised CIPD centres in the UAE and Qatar, and pioneering Arabic-language CIPD delivery in the region. Its combination of digital and face-to-face delivery, and a reputation built over more than 30 years as a UK-accredited provider, make it a trusted name among HR professionals and L&D practitioners across the GCC.
“Bradfield has done something genuinely difficult – it has spent three decades building real trust with HR professionals across this region. That is not something you can replicate quickly, and it is exactly the kind of depth that strengthens what we can offer. This acquisition is about bringing together two organisations that have each earned their place in this market, and creating something more powerful for the professionals and organisations we serve.”
– Lule Bunjaku Karapinar, CEO, GCC Markets and Executive Education, LEORON Institute
“When we started Bradfield, we set out to bring CIPD to the Middle East at a time when almost no one else was doing it. Two decades later, I am incredibly proud of what we built – a name that HR professionals across this region have come to trust, and a track record of helping shape the careers of thousands of graduates every year. Joining forces with LEORON is an exciting new chapter, not just for Bradfield, but for CIPD’s continued growth in the market. This partnership opens up real opportunities to reach more professionals, in more places, and to keep developing what CIPD can offer across the region.”
– Caroline Griffiths, Managing Director and Founder, Bradfield Group
The acquisition builds on a period of significant momentum for LEORON, including its landmark partnership with Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and continued growth across its government and enterprise client base in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain. With Bradfield’s CIPD expertise, client relationships, and Arabic-language delivery now integrated into the LEORON platform, the combined organisation is the most comprehensive provider of HR and workforce development qualifications operating across the Middle East.
About LEORON:
LEORON is the leading corporate training and EdTech company in the EMEA region, with the most comprehensive learning and development solutions in all strategic corporate functions. Through instructor-led sessions, in-company training and coaching, our faculty of experts deliver over 2,000+ programs annually, while 50,000+ professionals are equipped with up-to-date relevant education and the latest tech solutions across the EMEA region. We support our valued clients with a wide range of services, including Training Needs Analysis, Competency Development and Assessment, and custom-built e-Learning solutions that cater to specific industries and knowledge areas. Explore our extensive training offering at www.leoron.com.
About Bradfield Learning & Development:
Established in Cambridge, UK, in 1989, Bradfield Learning & Development has been a trusted CIPD partner since 1992 and was among the first authorised CIPD centres in the UAE and Qatar. With more than three decades of experience and a strong presence across the Middle East, Bradfield has trained over 6,000 HR and Learning and Development professionals and was the first to deliver CIPD qualifications in Arabic in the region. The organisation graduates approximately 400 students annually through a combination of digital and face-to-face course delivery.
