Bahareh Fatemi: “The Magic of 42 Is the Connections We Make”

Bahareh Fatemi, Director of Operations at 42 London, brings a global background in healthcare, nonprofit leadership, and education to the campus. From building TUMO Labs in Armenia to now shaping 42 London, she is passionate about expanding access, fostering community, and keeping people at the center of education. Guided by openness, trust, and humor, Bahareh shares her vision of a future where learning is inclusive, adaptive, and deeply human.
Director of 42 London

Could you please talk to us about your background? What is your education, and what were you doing before 42?
I’m Iranian, born in the UK, and raised around the world, a bit of a global citizen, though I never go anywhere without my tea and perfect Persian rice.
I studied bio engineering and cancer research at the University of Sheffield, followed by a master’s in international healthcare management at Imperial College London. However, my path has always been rooted in impact. I started out working in nonprofit healthcare and civic education in Iran, which sparked a deeper interest in sustainable leadership. That led me to San Diego for a second master’s in nonprofit leadership and eventually to Armenia, where I spent five incredible years building TUMO Labs, home to 42 Yerevan. That’s what ultimately brought me to 42.
So when people ask, “What were you doing before 42?” The short answer is 42.

What do you like about your position at your campus?
I’ve always been drawn to growing programs, expanding access, and building pathways that respond to real community needs. What I love most about being part of 42 London is the chance to wear multiple hats, to build, shape, and grow something with purpose. It’s like being handed a box of LEGOs: there’s a structure, yes, but it takes imagination and intention to turn it into something that truly reflects London.
One of the most rewarding parts of my role is the daily connection with our students and Pisciners. Hearing their stories, their hopes, and the challenges they face, those conversations ground me. They remind me why this work matters. At the heart of it all, I simply love the connections I get to make. That, to me, is the magic of 42.

What’s your vision for the future of education?
I believe in keeping the human at the center. That means truly listening. It means designing systems that serve real lives, not ideal ones. It means creating space for people to grow, to fail safely, to dream bigger, and to do it together.
In short, my vision is a future where education is inclusive, adaptive, deeply local, and unshakably human.

What is your management style? How do you make your team work together?
I prefer an open, laissez-faire leadership style that encourages autonomy, trust, and a strong sense of personal responsibility. For me, accountability isn’t something imposed; it’s a value we internalize. I value open communication, especially around challenges or delays, and see mistakes not as failures, but as essential to growth.
While I see the value of structure, I’m not a fan of overly rigid processes or excessive documentation that strip away intuition, empathy, and creativity. When we ignore gut instinct in favor of robotic efficiency, we might get things done, but we lose the joy, connection, and meaning that make work fulfilling.

I believe humor has a place in daily communication, not to avoid seriousness, but to create a culture where we can take the work seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. I’d much rather laugh at our missteps than turn them into something heavy.
And yes, I fully support meetings over good food. That’s where the most honest, energized conversations tend to happen.

42 has 4 pillar values: openness, excellence, tech, and ethics. Which one is the most important to you, and why?
For me, it’s all about openness. As I mentioned earlier, I naturally lean toward a laissez-faire leadership style, one that values autonomy, trust, and mutual respect. Openness is the foundation that makes this possible. It creates a culture where people feel safe to speak up, take initiative, and be honest, not just about wins, but about challenges too.
Openness invites staff and students to bring their full selves to the table. It encourages transparency, collaboration, and a willingness to listen and adapt. In a peer-to-peer learning environment like 42, that isn’t just helpful, it’s essential.

Last question, and this is a fun question, so don’t be too serious about it: Why is your campus one of the best in the network?
Because of the beautiful weather, said no one ever. It’s actually the tea, the coffee, the sarcasm, and the wildly unpredictable skies. But more than that, it’s the quiet confidence that comes with hosting one of the most diverse student communities (15+ languages spoken!) and, of course, the best chess club in the entire network.