Dr. Maria Spies is the Chief Innovation Officer at QS Quacquarelli Symonds and a member of its Executive Leadership Team, joining after QS’ acquisition of HolonIQ in October 2024. Maria is Co-Founder of HolonIQ and served as Co-CEO before joining QS. HolonIQ is recognized as a world leading research and analytics platform for the global impact economy, providing data and insights for growth, innovation, and risk intelligence for forward-thinking governments, institutions, organizations, and investors across sectors such as climate, education, and health.
With over 20 years of experience in both public and private education, Maria has specialized in transforming education through technology. She has built and led global teams, driving innovation in curriculum development, teaching practices, and student experiences in more than 50 countries. As Co-CEO of HolonIQ, Maria led the Education Intelligence Unit, delivering data-rich insights on the global education sector and overseeing tools and frameworks like the Global Learning Landscape, Scenarios for the Future of Education, and Digital Transformation Frameworks.
Maria advises institutions, policymakers, intergovernmental organizations, and NGOs on critical education issues. She holds both a Master’s and a Doctorate in Higher Education and was awarded “Thesis of the Year” for her research on public-private partnerships in higher education. Additionally, she serves as Adjunct Faculty at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaspies/