PRESS RELEASE - Babilou Family strengthens the role of education at the highest level of its global
governance and in France
At Babilou Family, a global player in education and early childhood, education is now represented at the highest level of governance. Present in 10 countries, the Group is taking a new step in its ambition to make education a strategic pillar of its development by appointing Laurie Catteeuw, Vice President for Education and Parenting Support, to its Group Executive Committee.
This appointment confirms the central role of education within Babilou Family’s project. As the
architect of the Group’s educational approach—based on insights from child development science,
neuroscience, and innovative pedagogies—Laurie Catteeuw will now directly contribute to the
company’s strategic direction.
This ambition is also reflected in France with the appointment of Josette Mavinga, Director of
Education at Babilou France, to the France Executive Committee. This evolution in France is part of a
broader international dynamic already underway within Babilou Family: in the United States,
Alexandra Loos, Vice President Education at Babilou Family US, has been a member of the Executive
Committee since January 2026; in the Netherlands, Charlotte Hoogendoorn, Director of Education at
Babilou Family Netherlands, is also a member of the Dutch Executive Committee.
A strong conviction: education is the driving force behind Babilou Family’s impact
For several years, Babilou Family has built its growth around a clear ambition: to contribute to
children’s development from their earliest years through high-quality education, grounded in the
latest scientific knowledge.
This vision has notably been brought to life through the definition of its Educational Mission, followed by the creation of its proprietary approach, Sustainable Education®, currently being rolled out across
all Group countries. This pedagogical framework aims to ensure the physical and emotional safety of
each child, to build on their natural curiosity to support their development, to integrate nature as a
learning driver, to respect individual rhythms by giving children the time they need to grow, to
promote inclusion and diversity, and to build a coherent and harmonious educational pathway with
families.
Based on the combined contributions of child development science, neuroscience, psychology,
sociology, and new pedagogies, this approach seeks to support each child’s overall development while strengthening the role of families and early childhood professionals.
For Babilou Family, education is the very foundation of its model and mission.
Laurie Catteeuw, Vice President for Education and Parenting Support, joins the Group Executive Committee
Director of Education at Babilou Family since 2022, Laurie Catteeuw has played a key role in structuring the Group’s educational vision at an international level.
She holds a PhD in philosophy and is a former CNRS researcher, as well as a lecturer and researcher at EHESS and Sciences Po Paris. She also has unique field experience as an Early Childhood Educator, nursery manager, and trainer.
Under her leadership, Babilou Family has designed and deployed a shared educational approach across its 10 countries, grounded in science and observation of child development. This vision was formalized in the book Sustainable Education, published in 2024, which presents the six pillars enabling
professionals to anchor their practices in the latest scientific knowledge while drawing inspiration from innovative pedagogies.
Laurie Catteeuw also leads the Group’s Scientific Education Committee, bringing together international experts to strengthen the link between research and field practices. In 2024, she co-organized, as part of a collaboration between UNESCO and Babilou Family, an international conference dedicated to neuroscience, education, and early childhood protection.
Her appointment to the Group Executive Committee confirms the central role given to education in
Babilou Family’s development strategy.
"At Babilou Family, we are convinced that the early years of life are decisive for the future of children
and society. By bringing education to the highest level of our governance, we reaffirm our
commitment to continuously connect scientific research, professional practices, and strategic
decisions in order to offer every child the best conditions for development," said Laurie Catteeuw, Vice President for Education and Parenting Support and member of the Group Executive Committee.
In France, Josette Mavinga joins the Executive Committee to drive Babilou’s educational ambition
France, the Group’s leading market, is also reflecting this ambition in its governance with the appointment of Josette Mavinga to the Babilou France Executive Committee as Director of Education.
A trained Early Childhood Educator, Josette Mavinga embodies the talent development pathway promoted by Babilou. She joined the Group in 2011 as an Assistant Nursery Manager and has progressively held increasing responsibilities as Nursery Manager, Area Manager, and then Regional Director.
Her appointment to the France Executive Committee marks an important milestone for Babilou: it ensures that pedagogical challenges, professional support, educational quality, and parenting support are fully integrated into the company’s strategic decisions.
Advancing early childhood education through science
Through these governance developments, Babilou Family reaffirms its ambition to sustainably advance early childhood education by leveraging scientific knowledge, pedagogical innovation, and the expertise of field professionals.
By giving greater weight to its education leaders in its governance bodies, the Group confirms that educational challenges are a major strategic pillar of its future development.
"The appointment of Laurie Catteeuw to the Group Executive Committee and Josette Mavinga to the France Executive Committee reflects a strong conviction: education is not a support function at Babilou Family—it lies at the very heart of our company project. Laurie has built a unique educational vision, now deployed across our 10 countries. Josette carries this ambition as close as possible to the field and to professionals in France. Together, they embody our desire to make educational excellence a driver of transformation for our Group and for the entire early childhood sector," said Christophe Fond, CEO of Babilou Family.