About us

Schoolroom to boardroom
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crest

Five decades of social impact

ABE is a not-for-profit skills development specialist and Ofqual-regulated awarding organisation.  We provide internationally recognised qualifications, learning, credentials and quality assurance in the fields of business, entrepreneurship, leadership and employability.



We exist to widen access to inclusive economic opportunity through business education.

How we started

ABE was founded by Dr Lyndon Jones in 1973, originally with the name The Association of Business Executives.  Lyndon was passionate about making education accessible to all and was ABE's driving force until his retirement in 2013.



The organisation was built with a clear social purpose: to improve business education for aspiring entrepreneurs in developing countries. This mission required courage, resilience, and the determination to make a difference - all of which have become defining features of the ABE way.

Read more about Our Journey: Five Decades of Social Impact here

What we do today

Over the last five decades, we have built a network of international partners across four continents.  Together we develop skills that support businesses, empower individuals, reduce gender inequality and tackle extreme poverty. 

Our work with schools develops business and entrepreneurial know-how in children whilst through our network of high-quality accredited TVET centres, we enable adults to become professionally qualified business practitioners at any age or stage in their career, frequently providing a pathway to higher education for people to whom it would not otherwise have been accessible.  Since we started around 1.5-million people globally have gained an ABE professional business qualification.

Here's a snapshot of our products and services

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We innovate and update

We are constantly updating our business education products and services to help organisations and individuals develop the skills needed to adapt to a rapidly changing environment in both established and emerging economies and, in this way, we are contributing to the development of a more skilled global workforce.

As a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping improve economic opportunity, we care deeply about having a positive impact on the environments in which we operate.  As a result, we fund and make freely available world-class research around issues such as sustainable entrepreneurship.  See our latest research here.

2023: A new era of opportunity for ABE

In April 2023, ABE became an independent subsidiary of The Institute of Leadership a charity founded in 1947 (originally known as The Institute of Leadership and Management).  Read more here.

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The Institute of Leadership logo
Meet the Board
Overseeing the governance of ABE

The ABE Board comprises people with extensive experience and expertise in their field.

Meet the management
Providing ABE's day-to-day leadership

This is the team which sets, prioritises and monitors the effective achievement of ABE's goals and objectives.

The Global Advisory Committee (GAC)
The voice of ABE centres

The GAC is made up of centre leaders from around the world who advise ABE on matters affecting strategy, policy, processes, products, services, and activity.

News
Keep up to date

With so many different operations around the world, there's always something topical to report on.  Here's where you will find the archive of the ABE news from the last few years. 

Blogs
There's something for everyone

We regularly publish informative blogs that support professional development, help you study more effectively or keep you abreast with the latest thinking in the field of business and entrepreneurship.

Careers
Any vacancies are listed here

If you dream of working for ABE, this page is where you will find the latest opportunities.

Read more about the ABE journey and our history