Dr. Nguyen Quoc Toan is a finance, strategy, and education entrepreneur known for his rigorous academic foundation and decisive operational experience. He is a published author of analyses and commentaries on education policy, socio-economic affairs, and political matters.

He is singularly focused on innovating Vietnamese education, viewing it as the pivotal element for enhancing national competitiveness. His educational philosophy emphasizes the “10,000-Hour Rule,” underscoring deliberate practice, expert mentorship, and continuous feedback as critical pathways to achieving exceptional proficiency.

Prior Experience: Before establishing EQuest, Dr. Toan was an equity partner and led the corporate consulting division at Ernst & Young Vietnam, specializing in strategy, M&A, valuation, and business due diligence. He also co-founded TNK Capital, a respected financial consulting firm. His background includes work in the securities industry, serving as an economist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and interning at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Education: Dr. Toan holds a Ph.D. in Economics from New York University (USA), a Master of Economics from the National Economics University in Hanoi, and a Bachelor of Business degree from Edith Cowan University (Australia).

About EQuest Education Group

EQuest is recognized as one of the leading private education organizations in Vietnam, operating a comprehensive ecosystem across three primary domains: K-12 Education, College & University (C&U), and Educational Technology (EdTech).

As of 2025, EQuest operates 25 educational institutions across Vietnam, serving nearly 20,000 K-12 students, 10,000 C&U students (including 300+ international students), and over 180,000 students enrolled through its EdTech platforms.

Key Milestones and Financial Governance:

• 2023 Capital Raise: Secured an additional USD 120 million from KKR in May 2023.
• Major Investment: Received investment from the TAEL Fund (Southeast Asia) in 2016 and subsequent investment from KKR (one of the world’s top three investment firms) in June 2021.
• Accreditation: In 2022, EQuest became the first private education organization in Vietnam to obtain full accreditation from Cognia (a leading global body accrediting over 40,000 schools in 90 countries).

Strategy and Culture:

Mr. Toan and his colleagues are committed to providing world-class education at a disruptive price. To achieve this, EQuest employs an “asset-light” business model that maximizes technology use to optimize costs. The strategy is built on standardizing the curriculum, streamlining operational processes, and heavy investment in talent development. All programs seek international accreditation to ensure quality and enhance student competitiveness.

EQuest pursues growth through two principal approaches: mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and organic replication of its proven educational model.

The organizational culture strives to be democratic and knowledge-driven, valuing talent and civility. The Group maintains an environment of exclusivity-free respect, ensuring every individual’s voice is acknowledged.