Interview - James Tugendhat, MD Bright Horizons

The addition of Asquith brings the total number of UK nurseries owned by Bright Horizons to 304, providing 24,242 childcare places.

Bright Horizons Family Solutions now operates more than 1,000 nurseries worldwide.

What was the decision behind the purchase of Asquith Day Nurseries and Pre-Schools?

We have long admired Asquith’s excellent reputation for premium childcare and its strong commitment to safety and staff development. We have been strong industry partners for over a decade and worked in collaboration on shared initiatives during this time.

We are delighted to bring together our two organisations and our shared purpose to provide exceptional care, education and family solutions for children and families.

The acquisition brings Bright Horizons closer to Busy Bees in terms of childcare places. Are there plans to expand the business further?

For us it’s about being the best in any location in which we operate.

What changes, if any, will you be making to the Asquith nurseries?

Asquith’s nurseries have established their own reputations in their local communities and we value this brand recognition.

We are delighted to welcome Asquith colleagues to Bright Horizons; the day-to-day operation of the nurseries will largely remain the same. I have already met many of the nursery managers and support function colleagues and have been delighted by their enthusiasm for working together.

There is a great deal that we will be able to learn from each other and I look forward to sharing successful initiatives across all areas of the business.

Do any of the Asquith nurseries need updating and, if so, what size of investment is needed?

The Asquith nurseries are of an extremely high standard and we are proud to welcome them to our family. Asquith has an active programme of refurbishment and investment that is a consistent approach to Bright Horizons’. We will continue with the programme of reinvesting in all our nurseries.

What future plans are there for Bright Horizons?

We want to continue to provide exceptional care and education for children, provide a suite of excellent services to employers, and to simply be the best place to work in our sector.