School of Rock is advancing its international expansion by finalizing a new master franchise agreement for the United Kingdom. Today, the music education brand announced that Matias Puga-Hamilton, who spearheaded School of Rock’s successful growth in Latin America, will lead the venture. For Puga-Hamilton, the appeal had a personal edge.
“The powerful transformation School of Rock inspired in my daughters when they were enrolled as students is what drove me to bring this concept to my home country of Chile,” Puga-Hamilton said in a statement. “I’ve since had the honor of witnessing that impact on an increasingly global scale, and I’m eager to continue making a difference.”
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UK expansion
Under Puga-Hamilton’s leadership, the brand plans to develop 30 new schools across the UK over the next 11 years, building on the momentum of School of Rock’s established presence in countries such as Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Peru, and Ecuador.
School of Rock plans to open the first location under this UK agreement in early 2025 in London. The UK schools will expand the brand’s current European footprint, which already includes five schools, primarily in Spain and Portugal.
“Continued international expansion is of the utmost importance to School of Rock,” Anthony Padulo, School of Rock’s CDO, said in a statement. “Our European presence in the UK is a major milestone in this ongoing initiative, and we couldn’t be happier to have Matias and his experienced team as our partners in this endeavor.”
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Recent growth
Founded in 1998 in Philadelphia, School of Rock ranked #205 on the 2024 Franchise 500 List. The brand is one of the best-known music school franchises in the world, boasting more than 330 franchises and achieving 25% growth over the past three years.
School of Rock offers various music lessons, including guitar, singing and piano. The company also sells musical instruments and gear through its GearSelect program. Franchisees may work with professional musicians and more than a dozen part-time students daily. Outside of lessons, students can audition for the AllStars program and attend nationwide music workshops and camps throughout the year.