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26th April
2019
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Pearson today announces the appointment of two independent
Non-Executive Directors to its Board of Directors. Graeme
Pitkethly, CFO and Board Member, Unilever PLC and NV, and Sherry
Coutu, the entrepreneur and angel investor, join the company's
Board, with their appointments effective from May 1,
2019.
Graeme joined Unilever in 2002 and, prior to being appointed CFO,
was Executive Vice President of Unilever's UK and Ireland business.
Previously, he had held a number of senior financial and commercial
roles within Unilever and he spent the earlier part of his career
in senior corporate finance roles in the telecommunications
industry and at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Sherry serves on the boards of a range of companies, charities and
universities with a focus on consumer digital, information
services, and education. She founded Interactive Investor
International plc and currently chairs Founders4Schools, Raspberry
Pi Trading and the Scale-Up Institute. She serves as a
Non-Executive Director at London Stock Exchange plc, sits on the
board of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport,
and until recently served as a Non-Executive Director of Zoopla
plc, Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment. She has
also served as an advisory board member for LinkedIn.
Pearson Chair, Sidney Taurel said: "We have a strong Board with a wealth
of experience and today we are adding two outstanding individuals
to strengthen it further. Graeme's financial expertise, global
overview and deep understanding of consumer behaviour will benefit
us greatly, particularly as we look to build more direct
relationships with learners. Sherry's expertise in building fast
growth, entrepreneurial businesses, focused on technology and
education will be invaluable as we target digital-first, high
growth business models.
"Our Board, management and employees at all levels of Pearson are
focused on helping us continue to make strategic progress, enabling
us to deliver further profit growth in 2019 and stabilise revenue.
Longer term, we are focused on ensuring we achieve our strategic
vision of delivering lifelong learning to customers, leading to
increased employability and work-related skills, as part of a wider
ecosystem of delivery partners and stakeholders."
Graeme is a Vice Chair of the Task Force on Climate Related
Financial Disclosures. He read for a BSc in Applied Chemistry from
the University of Strathclyde and is a Chartered
Accountant.
Commenting on his appointment, Graeme Pitkethly said: "This is an exciting opportunity to
make a difference. Pearson is a purpose-driven company and a global
leader in its field, with significant growth prospects ahead. My
aim is to play a role in this growth story, helping Pearson enhance
its consumer-facing business, building on its strong digital agenda
and growing quickly in global markets."
Sherry has an MBA from Harvard Business School and has been awarded
honorary doctorates from the University of Bristol, University of
Manchester and the Open University. She was appointed Commander of
the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to
entrepreneurship in the New Year's Honours List 2013.
Commenting on her appointment, Sherry Coutu said: "I am passionate about education and
across my career have worked to demonstrate how technology can
better equip young people and professionals for the world of work.
My capabilities are therefore closely aligned with Pearson and my
experience in building high-growth, technology-enabled companies
can help Pearson successfully navigate the shift to digital and
secure sustainable growth."
There is no further information to be declared in accordance with
LR 9.6.13.
***ENDS***
Notes to editors
Details of the full Pearson Board of Directors can be found
at: https://www.pearson.com/about-us/board-of-directors.html.
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PEARSON
plc
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Date: 26
April 2019
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By: /s/
NATALIE WHITE
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Natalie
White
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Deputy
Company Secretary
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