Headmaster & Principals

Headmaster Mr. Simon Leslie
    headmaster @ nist.ac.th

Mr. Leslie has been the Headmaster at NIST since August , 2004, having previously been the head of the International School of Tanganyika in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
During his career, Mr. Leslie has spent a significant amount of time working in Thailand at other prominent international schools. In total, Simon has lived in Thailand for 10 years. He first came to Thailand in 1994, when NIST was very young, on a one year assignment from Geelong Grammar School in Australia to assist with NIST’s development. He has also been head of the Regents School in Pattaya, Thailand, and at the Geelong Grammar School Timbertop Campus in Victoria, Australia. Mr. Leslie has vast experience in running both the academic and business sides of large international schools and has worked in multi-cultural environments for a number of years. He is originally from Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia, where he obtained his Bachelor of Education degree at Sturt University. Mr Leslie and his wife, Joy, have three children all of whom have attended NIST.

Deputy Head Mr. Adrian Watts
    awatts @ nist.ac.th

Mr. Adrian Watts has been Deputy Head and Director of Academic Studies at NIST since August 2007, having previously been the Secondary School Principal from August 2000. He gained a Joint Honours Degree from Durham University and a Post Graduate Certificate of Education from Loughborough. Originally from England, he left in search of fame and fortune in 1987, discovered the International Baccalaureate programmes and has since taught mainly in IB schools, working as an administrator in Mexico, Kenya, Spain and the United States. Mr. Watts has taught MYP Humanities and Diploma Economics, Geography and History in his career and still retains his passion for the classroom and student learning. He enjoys working in multi-cultural environments and cherishes the opportunity to learn from the school and local community. Mr. Watts has a teenage daughter who attended NIST.

Secondary Principal Mr. Julian Edwards
    jedwards @ nist.ac.th

Julian Edwards joined the school in August 2007. He is originally from the United Kingdom but has spent a great deal of his teaching career in IB schools, working previously as an administrator at the Western Academy of Beijing and the International School of Tanganyika. Mr Edwards has experience of working in Secondary, Elementary and Special Education. He has an B.Sc. in Geography and Sports Science from the University of Loughborough in the UK and a Masters degree in Education from the University of Birmingham. Mr Edwards’ wife teaches at the school and his oldest child is a student at NIST.

Elementary Principal Mr. Paul Hamlyn
    phamlyn @ nist.ac.th

Paul Hamlyn joined NIST in August 2004. He was born in the United Kingdom and attended school and university in New Zealand. He has worked as an Elementary Administrator in many varied settings in New Zealand and Korea. He has a Higher Diploma of Teaching and a Bachelor of Teaching from the University of Waikato in New Zealand and a Masters Degree in Multi Disciplinary Studies from Buffalo State, State University of New York. Mr. Hamlyn’s wife teaches at school in the Support Services Department, and his two children are married and live in New Zealand.