| Peter McLaughlin | |
| Birth Place: | Northern Ireland |
| Alma Mater: | University of Rhodesia (BA, MA) London School of Economics (PhD, PGCE) |
| Occupation: | Academic, writer, executive |
| Subject: | War studies, Political history, International relations, Economics |
| Notableworks: | The Rhodesian War: A Military History The Occupation of Mashonaland Ragtime Soldiers: The Rhodesian experience in The Great War |
| Spouse: | Elizabeth McLaughlin |
Peter McLaughlin (born 1956) is an Irish academic, historian, and educator. He is the CEO of Max Learning Limited, the educational arm of the Max Group.[1] He was Headmaster of The Doon School. Before joining Doon in 2009, he served as Headmaster of Douai School, and Principal of the British International School in Cairo and of Casterton School in England. McLaughlin retired from Doon in May 2016.[2]
McLaughlin was born in Northern Ireland and raised in Africa. He was educated at Prince Edward School in Salisbury, Rhodesia, and at the University of Rhodesia, also in Salisbury, where he read history.[3] He then studied for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the London School of Economics, United Kingdom.
McLaughlin's doctorate was a study of the role of British Imperial defence policy in shaping the Rhodesian armed forces from the 1890s to the 1950s. During the Rhodesian Bush War, he served in operational areas as a field reservist in the British South Africa Police (BSAP). He set up the War Studies course at the University of Rhodesia (now the University of Zimbabwe) and was awarded an Association of Commonwealth Universities Post-doctoral Fellowship to the London School of Economics to study the British munitions industry in the First World War.[4] He left the world of research and lecturing to carve out a successful career as a headmaster at major Private schools in England. From 1999 to 2005 he was the Principal of the British International School in Cairo before his departure to head Casterton School.
In 2009, McLaughlin moved to India to head an independent boarding school, The Doon School, succeeding Kanti Bajpai. He has lived in Dehradun in India ever since.[5] [6] In 2016, McLaughlin announced his early retirement from The Doon School with three years left on his second contract as Headmaster, and submitted his resignation to Chairman of the Board of Governors Gautam Thapar. He was succeeded by Matthew Raggett, a British educator.
McLaughlin is married to Elizabeth McLaughlin and has two sons.