Alexandre Tabet

Founder, Managing Director and Educational Consultant

Alexandre grew up in Abu Dhabi and received his BS in Economics from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in 1996, and his graduate degree in Industrial and Labor Relations (Human Resource Management) from Cornell University in 2001.

Over the last few years, Alexandre has assisted over two hundred students from many of the UAE’s finest high schools (such as ACS, ASD, Al Khubairat, DAA, Dubai College, Choueifat, Jumeirah College, the Lycee Georges Pompidou, the Lycee Louis Massignon and Repton) with their college selection and application strategy. More recently, Alexandre has also worked with students residing and attending high schools in cities outside the UAE, such as Belgrade, Delhi, Geneva, Lagos, Lahore, London, Luxembourg, Tunis and Zurich. The results have been very rewarding to the students, their parents as well as himself. Over 40% of his students have been admitted into elite universities, such as Brown, Cambridge, Carnegie Mellon, College of William and Mary, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Georgetown, Imperial, Johns Hopkins, London School of Economics, MIT, McGill, Northwestern, Princeton, Rice, Stanford, University College of London, University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Los Angeles, University of Chicago, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia, Wellesley College, Wesleyan and Williams College.

Having been involved with admissions at an Ivy League school in an official capacity, and having been an alumni representative of two of the top universities in the United States, Alex has a keen understanding of what it takes to get into the best universities. But his knowledge of universities extends far beyond the two he has attended. Due to his unique and particular interest in universities, Alex has visited approximately 200 campuses over the last 20 years and has developed an unrivaled understanding of individual campus cultures, admissions philosophy, academic offerings as well as the relative strengths and weaknesses of all major colleges and universities in the US.

Alexandre’ approach to college advising is highly personal and passionate. He takes delight in working with students on discovering their ideal campuses and enhancing their chances of admission to those institutions. He meets with his students frequently for one-on-one sessions that last anywhere between 60 and 90 minutes for the duration of the college admissions cycle, which ideally starts toward the end of 10th grade and ends in April of 12th grade.

In his spare time, Alexandre is an avid cinephile and movie collector, enjoys playing tennis, dining at fine restaurants and spending time with his wife and his two sons."

Talal Al-Nawab

Partner and Educational Consultant

With over five years of experience working within the education industry as a university admissions counsellor, SAT/ACT test prep expert, and Mathematics & Physics tutor, Talal has developed a strong understanding of the admissions practices and requirements at universities across the US, UK, Canada and wider Europe. Talal has worked with many students across the globe as they prepare for life at university and beyond. He is an alumnus of St Paul’s Juniors, Dubai College and an Engineering graduate of the University of Cambridge, attaining both his Bachelor's and Master's degree in 2014.

Having also applied to the US for his undergraduate studies, he gained admission to Stanford University, Princeton University and Columbia University. Furthermore, his multicultural background, growing up in both London and Dubai, as well as his prior work experience in the engineering, investment banking and strategy consulting industries brings a unique and multi-dimensional perspective to his work with students. His work has always been focused on one-to-one provision, allowing him to tailor his approach for each student and provide a highly personalised service. His underlying philosophy is centred around mentorship of his students, building strong and long-lasting relationships founded upon a thorough understanding of their strengths, passions and areas for development. This strong trust and connection is fundamental to his students’ success and ensures that families feel confident in his work.

Previously employed by a similar educational services company in London for two years, Talal founded Integra in 2019 to work with his own client base and support students around the world with his own philosophy. He recently relocated from London to Dubai in early 2022 and partnered with Arbor Strategy Consulting. To date, he has worked with over 100 high school students across the UK, Europe, Middle East, Far East and US on their journeys to university. These students have thus studied a wide variety of high school leaving curricula, including A-Levels, IB, French Baccalaureate and US High School Diploma; they have also achieved at various levels academically, meaning Talal has become very well-versed at evaluating different students’ individual profiles, matching them with the best-fit universities and ensuring their CVs and activities, both inside and outside of school, are helping students fulfil their potential. Through his work with students, campus visits, and diligent desk research, he has built a deep knowledge of top-tier and mid-tier universities to ensure he provides students with the best options for their future.

In his spare time, Talal enjoys producing music, having played the piano since the age of seven, and staying fit through boxing and the gym. He is also an avid supporter of Liverpool Football Club and a lover of dogs, with a 50kg Anatolian Shepherd - named Maxie - to spend time with at home!