text: John Fallon is CEO of Pearson, since 2013. He had been responsible for the company’s education businesses outside North America and a member of the management committee since 2008. In 2003, he became CEO of Pearson’s educational publishing businesses for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He joined Pearson in 1997 as communications director and became president of Pearson Inc. in 2000. Previously, Fallon was corporate affairs director at Powergen plc and held senior public policy and communications roles in UK local government. He is an advisory board member of the Global Business Coalition for Education and a council member of the University of Hull. (Festival Underwriter Presenter)