The Pearson Education Limited board
The Board of Pearson Education Limited is responsible for the governance of Pearson's UK education businesses, including the development and administration of qualifications for schools, colleges, higher education and work-based learning settings, plus educational publishing and technologies to support teaching and learning.
Non-executive Directors
Sir David Melville CBE
Sir David Melville CBE
Chair, Pearson Education Limited
David Melville is a board member of Manchester Metropolitan University and the Network for Black and Asian Professionals. He's also patron of the 157 Group, Comprehensive Future, the Disabled Sailors Association, Faversham Creek Trust and the Thames Gateway Young Chamber.
He began his career as a lecturer and later a professor of physics and from 2001 to 2007 he was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kent. He was previously Chief Executive of the Further Education Funding Council and before that he was Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University. He was a member of the Tomlinson Review of 14-19 Curriculum and Qualifications, the Foundation Degree Task Force and the Foster Review of the Future of Further Education Colleges.
He has been a primary, secondary and academy chair or vice-chair of school governors; a board member of the Higher Education Careers Services Unit, The Place and the Council for Industry and Higher Education; Chair of Health Education and the NHS Postgraduate Deanery for Kent, Surrey and Sussex, Lifelong Learning UK, the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the Learning and Skills Council in Kent and Medway, the University Vocational Awards Council and Higher Education South East.
Stephen Grix
Stephen Grix
Principal and Chief Executive of MidKent College of Higher and Further Education
Stephen left school at age 15 with no qualifications. He subsequently achieved two degrees and a host of vocational qualifications, all through part-time study. He started his academic career at Bexley College, Kent, in 1977 and progressed through various posts before being appointed as Principal of Sir George Monoux College, London in 1996.
Stephen then joined Ofsted as a senior manager in 2000 before being appointed Corporate Director, Education for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in 2002. Stephen has been Principal of MidKent College since March 2005.
Professor Roger John Lloyd Murphy
Professor Roger John Lloyd Murphy
Professor of Education, University of Nottingham
Professor Roger Murphy is a specialist in the field of educational assessment. Over the last 35 years, he has undertaken a large number of national and international research projects, and has written over 100 books and articles about educational assessment. His interests span all phases of education and lifelong learning, and he has carried out research in primary and secondary education as well as further and higher education and work-based learning.
Professor Murphy is Director of Postgraduate Research in the School of Education at the University of Nottingham. He is a former Head of Department in the School of Education, and Dean of the Faculty of Education and, in 1995/6, he was the President of the British Educational Research Association. He is also a qualified schoolteacher and experienced university educator.
As well as his work with the main UK awarding bodies, Professor Murphy has worked with a number of government agencies and other assessment bodies both in the UK and internationally. He sits on two Ofqual committees and advises the General Dental Council and several other professional bodies on assessment matters.
Dr Margaret M Wilson
Dr Margaret M Wilson
MBA, MSc, BEd, RSA
Margaret is an educational professional with over 30 years' experience of working in and leading a wide range of schools. She has been a Principal and Executive Principal in three large comprehensive schools and academies across the Thames gateway from inner London to Essex.
Between 2008 and 2010 she was an adviser to the academies division of the then DCSF, supporting a wide range of academies. She is a National Challenge Adviser and School Improvement Partner, and on behalf of the department supported schools which were failing or in challenging circumstances across the south east of England. She regularly provides keynote presentations to school leaders on raising standards across a range of national and international venues.
In 2009 she was asked to work in the Middle East to provide leadership training for principals as part of the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s strategy for school improvement. As a result, she is now the Education Adviser for a group of private international schools in Qatar.
She is a National Leader of Education and the Principal of the highly successful King John School in Essex. The school became an academy in April 2011, and as a designated national support school is sponsor to a new academy as well as lead partner in a National Challenge Trust school.
Margaret was recently awarded a doctorate by Anglia Ruskin University for her contribution to education.
Richard Price
Richard Price
Richard Price, a chartered accountant, was co-founder of the BPP group, which comprises BPP University and a range of publishing and professional training businesses.
Following his retirement as BPP's chairman in 2002, Richard's principal business role was as chairman of awarding body EDI plc until its acquisition in 2011 by Pearson.
Richard Price is chairman of the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM). He sings in, and is a former chairman of, The Bach Choir. In 2015 he was awarded an honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Music following his retirement as a council member. He is vice-president and a former chairman of Action Medical Research.
Richard and his wife Susan have two grown-up children and four grandchildren. Their shared interests include music, golf, walking and bridge. Although their principal home is in London, they are able to spend some leisure time in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.
Valerie Todd CBE FCIPD
Valerie Todd CBE FCIPD
Valerie is a non-executive member of the Executive Committee of the Army Board. She has recently stepped down as the Talent & Resources Director at Crossrail Ltd where she was responsible for ensuring the project has the right people, in the right place at the right time. Prior to this Valerie was the managing director of group services at Transport for London.
Valerie chaired Investors in People from 2010 to 2018 and was instrumental in leading the UK’s premier brand for people management through a period of growth change and renewal.
She has also been a governor and board member at the University of West London and a trustee of the London transport Museum.
Between 2007 and 2016 she served as a government advisor on skills and employment as a Commissioner to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.
Valerie has a BA (Hons) Degree, a MBA and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of the University of Derby.
Valerie was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to skills, employment and the development of young people.
Executive Directors
Rod Bristow
Rod Bristow
President, UK and Core
Rod Bristow is President, Core Markets for Pearson. Core Markets include those 100+ countries with, in general, developed economies and education systems. In 2010, Rod became President for Pearson UK and was appointed to lead all other Core Markets for Pearson in January 2014.
Rod has worked in education, publishing and assessment for thirty years in universities, schools, colleges, professional training and learning technologies in the UK and internationally. He is a Trustee for the Education and Employers Taskforce, a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts and past President of the Publishers Association.
Rod is a graduate of University College London.
Suzi Brennan
Suzi Brennan
Senior Vice President of Finance for the Core markets
Suzi was joined Pearson in September 2016 as Senior Vice President of Finance for the Core markets. She is responsible for leading the financial organisation for the Core geography and ensuring integrity and accuracy of financial matters in accordance with Pearson policies and practices. She is a key business partner and advisor to Rod Bristow, the President of Core.
Suzi graduated from Nottingham and trained as a Chartered Accountant at Deloitte. She subsequently worked at Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Penguin Books Ltd and Clear Channel Outdoor Ltd in various financial roles, most latterly as Chief Financial Officer. In addition, Suzi was Chair of Governors for her local primary school for 7 years.
Sharon Hague
Sharon Hague
Senior Vice President, Pearson Qualification Services, and Senior Responsible Officer
Sharon was appointed Senior Vice President of Pearson Qualifications Services in February 2016. She is responsible for the development and delivery of Pearson UK's portfolio of qualifications and assessments including the National Curriculum Tests (NCT) contract.
Sharon graduated from Oxford and trained as a teacher. She taught in schools in Essex and Hertfordshire for 8 years working for Edexcel as an A level examiner. She joined Pearson in January 2000 and, over the past 14 years, has held a variety of posts including Qualification Development and Assessment Director, Head of General Qualifications Assessment and Quality Manager for the NCT programme.
Cindy Rampersaud
Cindy Rampersaud
Senior Vice President, Pearson BTEC and Apprenticeship
Cindy was appointed Senior Vice President of Pearson's BTEC and Apprenticeship business unit in February 2018.
She is responsible for Pearson UK'sportfolio of technical, vocational and apprenticeship qualifications delivered by Colleges, Private Training Providers and Employers
Cindy moved into the education sector in 2011 when she took up the role of Deputy Principal at City and Islington College.
In 2016 she was appointed a Deputy FE Commissioner by the Department for Education working on the Government's Area Based Review of the Further Education sector nationally.
Before moving into the education sector Cindy held a number of senior roles in the commercial sector including EMI, Warner Brothers and Virgin.
Cindy currently sits on the Board of The Children’s Society and Speakers Trust.
Derek Richardson
Derek Richardson
Vice President and Senior Responsible Officer, Pearson UK
Derek was appointed Vice President and Senior Responsible Officer of Pearson UK in September 2017.
He is accountable for the successful delivery of qualifications both in the UK and internationally. He is Pearson's designated Responsible Officer to Ofqual, CCEA, Qualification Wales and SQA in relation to compliance with our conditions of recognition as an awarding organisation.
Derek has degrees from Teesside and Sussex Universities and his background over the last 18 years has been in educational assessment.
He started work in Edexcel’s A level English team as the curriculum 2000 reforms were being introduced and also holds a post as school governor.
He has held various posts within Pearson, most recently as Director for Qualification Development, Assessment & Awarding across GCSEs, A Levels, BTEC, Apprenticeships and International qualifications.