Pearson appoints former Microsoft Exec Omar Abbosh as their CEO; Andy Bird retires
Pearson, a global company for learning and digital content, has appointed Omar Abbosh as their new CEO and Executive Director. He will take over from Andy Bird, who has decided to step down as Pearson’s CEO, with effect from early 2024.
Abbosh, a former President of Industry Solutions at Microsoft and a global leader, brings over 30 years of experience in enterprise technology driving substantial growth, strategy and transformation of leading MNCs. His core understanding of the dynamic business and technology landscape has helped shape and execute successful strategies in a world of disruption.
At Microsoft, he spearheaded direct responsibility for driving sales, service, and solutions across global customers. In addition to leading industry and technical operations including strategy, engineering, partnering and sales teams, redefining product road maps and strategic campaigns across industries. Prior to this, he led key leadership roles at Accenture for about 32 years, including Chief Strategy Officer, and Global CEO Communications, Technology and Media. Additionally, he is a non-executive board member at Zuora Inc.
Announcing Andy’s retirement, Omid Kordestani, Chairperson of Pearson said, "On behalf of the Board and the Pearson team, I would like to thank Andy for his outstanding leadership over the last three years. Andy has implemented an ambitious vision and strategy for the company and has successfully transitioned Pearson into a consumer-focused business, orientated around lifelong learning. He has driven substantial cultural and organizational change and delivered consistently strong financial performance. With Pearson on firm foundations and with a trajectory for growth, Andy feels now is the right time to hand the reins to a successor.”
Andy Bird commented, "It has been an enormous privilege to lead Pearson through a period of significant change over the last three years. The business is now firmly established as a digital-first learning company, with technology driving significant growth. It is re-focused around the learner and lifelong learning, with a stronger culture and increased emphasis on accountability and execution. We are well-positioned for future growth with a clear vision and a strong management team to deliver it. I am confident that Omar has the right skill set and experience to take Pearson forward."
Welcoming Abbosh on the leadership board, the chairperson stated, “The Board is delighted, having conducted a thorough selection process, to appoint Omar Abbosh as our new Chief Executive. Omar is an inspirational, dynamic and growth-orientated leader with deep commercial, technology and operational expertise focused on delivering high-quality services and products across diverse markets and customer sets. He has extensive experience in creating and executing strategies to enable companies to harness technology and succeed in a world of disruptive change. He shares our values and our ambition and has a strong track record of execution. The Board and I look forward to working with Omar as we accelerate our strategy and continue to deliver value for all our stakeholders."
Abbosh acknowledged, "I am honoured to have been appointed as the next Chief Executive of Pearson. The Company is at an exciting stage of its growth journey in markets that are increasingly digital. I look forward to building on the strategic growth opportunities, along with the leadership team, placing Pearson in the vanguard of lifelong learning. Education and learning are fundamental to helping people progress through their lives and I am thrilled to work with our customers and partners to build on Pearson's heritage and deliver on the next chapter for all our stakeholders. This is a truly vital mission." He also posted on LinkedIn: