Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United Kingdom based Director operating in the EdTech space. If you think a Director is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Stefan Wisbauer
CEO, President, CFO, and Managing Director of Lecturio
Stefan Wisbauer is the Managing Director of U.K. Preventive Medicine and the Founder and Managing Director of iHealth, a leading UK executive prevention provider. With a decade of experience in healthcare, Stefan previously worked at the World Bank and McKinsey & Co, where he advised health insurance, medical devices and biotech companies. Stefan also worked as a consultant to the National Health Service and with private healthcare operators on Public Private Partnerships and on establishing innovative approaches to care delivery. Previous to founding iHealth, Stefan helped build CircleHealth, which build next generation private hospitals in the U.K. based on a Kaiser Permanente style model, in which clinicians are co-owners in the business. Prior to that, Stefan was Bid Manager for Nations Healthcare, which won the largest share – valued at more than £400 — of the first wave of private day surgery contracts to treat NHS patients issued by the British government under Tony Blair’s leadership. Stefan also serves on the board of the Center for NonViolent Communication, a global charity promoting innovative solutions to trauma, conflict, restorative justice and communication. Stefan holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, Diploma in Mathematics from University of Bonn and a ‘Part III’ in Mathematics from Cambridge University.
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About iHealth, Lecturio: The Next Generation Learning Platform for Medicine
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John Makinson
Finance Director of Pearson
John’s diverse background spans business, consultancy, financial journalism and publishing. He was finance director of Pearson before heading Penguin, and previously served as managing director of the Financial Times newspaper, where he had earlier served as editor of the popular Lex column. John co-founded Makinson Cowell, an international financial consultancy, and was vice chairman of the US holding company of advertising firm Saatchi & Saatchi. John is chairman of the National Theatre and a director of the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian organisation.
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About International Rescue Committee, Pearson, Penguin Group: Pearson operates as a media and education company that offers a wide range of services to its customers.
Harish Manwani
Member of the Board of Directors of Pearson
On January 22, 2015, Harish Manwani was elected as a member of the Board of Directors.Manwani retired from Unilever, a leading global consumer products company, at the end of 2014, where he served as Chief Operating Officer since September 2011. Manwani joined Hindustan Unilever (HUL) in 1976, becoming a member of the HUL board in 1995, and since that time held positions of increasing responsibility in Unilever which gave him wide ranging international marketing and general management experience. Manwani is a director of Qualcomm Incorporated since May 2014, Pearson plc since October 2013 and Whirlpool Corporation since August 2011. He is also the non-executive chairman of Hindustan Unilever Limited since July 2005. He previously served as a director of ING Group from April 2008 to April 2010. He is a director of the Economic Development Board of Singapore since February 2013 and the Indian School of Business since April 2006. Manwani holds a Bachelor of Science honors degree in Statistics and a Master’s degree in Management Studies, both from Mumbai University in India. He has also attended the Advance Management Program at Harvard Business School.
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About Blackstone Group: Pearson operates as a media and education company that offers a wide range of services to its customers.
David King Lassman
Global Director Immersive Learning of Pearson
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About Pearson: Pearson operates as a media and education company that offers a wide range of services to its customers.
Alex Cattani
Business Development Director of Zzish
Won big global deals for Discovery Education. Now partners with Ministries of Education & publishers. Ex-lecturer, owns five guitars.
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About Zzish: Zzish is a valuable classroom digital teaching tool for teachers that provides real-time feedback on the progress of their students.
Fatuma Mahad
Director of IT Transformation of Queen Mary University of London
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About Queen Mary University of London: Queen Mary University of London is an educational institution offering under graduate, graduate, post graduate and research studies.
Joanne Martin
Director of Blizard Institute of Queen Mary University of London
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About BioMoti, Queen Mary University of London: Queen Mary University of London is an educational institution offering under graduate, graduate, post graduate and research studies.
Thiago Monteiro
Director of Growth of Peak
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About Peak: Peak’s mission is to help the world spend their time better using tools and technique borrowed from education, neuroscience and gaming.
Tim Perkins
Co-Founder & Director of Nudge Global
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About Nudge Global: Brighter financial futures for everyone, everywhere
Jeremy Beament
Co-Founder & Director of Nudge Global
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About Nudge Global: Brighter financial futures for everyone, everywhere
Noam Tamir
Founder and Director of Healthcare Learning
Noam Tamir serves as Founder and Director of The Healthcare Learning Company Limited. Mr. Tamir has extensive experience in computer services, management, and marketing as applied to different market niches. He is also the Founder of Isys Plc and has been its Managing Director. He is a Member of the Worshipful Company of IT and has been a Contributing member of the IT Training & Education Panel. He was the youngest officer at the ‘Entebbe Raid’. Mr. Tamir graduated in Computing and Industrial Management Engineering at the Technion in Haifa, Israel.
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About Healthcare Learning: HLC is an integrated learning provider offering cutting-edge learning solutions predominantly in the dental market.
Greg Young
Operations Director of Team Satchel
Greg is the Operations director at Show My Homework, the UK’s leading SaaS tool for Schools. Greg has previous experience in various roles including venture capital, business analytics, product operations, product marketing, social community management and financial operations at leading Internet brands Yahoo!, Microsoft and UK based Seed VC Passion Capital.
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About Show My Homework, Team Satchel: Team Satchel develops a range of school software focusing on homework, behavior, classroom management, and teaching resources.
Chris Phillips
Director of Marketing of Team Satchel
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About Team Satchel: Team Satchel develops a range of school software focusing on homework, behavior, classroom management, and teaching resources.
Oliver Godfrey
Finance Director of Makers
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About Makers: Our mission is to transform lives: accelerating the careers of tech professionals by integrating education and employment.
Lexie Hope
Director Of Business Development of Learning 3D
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About Learning 3D: Learning 3D is the brainchild of a group of educators who believe there is a better way in learning
Sana Farooq
Director of ELN The e-Learning Network
Sana Farooq is the founder and CEO of ELN The e-Learning Network and we absolutely love her dedication and energy towards the education of children in Pakistan – a very dynamic project! She supports elevate and wants girls to have the same opportunities as men.
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About ELN The e-Learning Network: ELN is a digital learning platform that offers accredited, affordable, and interactive online learning services.
Robert Andrews
Director of Content of Clarity PR
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About Clarity PR: Clarity delivers tech PR campaigns for the world’s most exciting technology startups.
David Philipps
Managing Director of Construct
David Philipps is the CEO of Construct, a global digital learning company, where he manages the company’s fast-growing business and leads a growing team across the U.S., U.K, Middle East and South Africa. He is responsible for leading the day to day operational delivery, the commercial engagements, investor relations and for driving the culture of high performance across the company in addition to agreeing the strategic direction of the company with the board.
David was previously CFO of Bank of America EMEA Emerging Markets (CEEMEA) which he developed in to a world class finance team. A seasoned executive with a background in both consulting and finance, David excelled at organising and driving large scale strategic programmes across Bank of Americas international finance space, creating commercial insights, efficiencies, control enhancements and improved people engagement. David was well respected by both his team and the Bank of America finance leadership for his high energy levels, natural enthusiasm and his results orientated pragmatic approach to bringing clarity and organisation to complex situations. He was promoted to CFO of the CEEMEA group after demonstrating a strong track record of performance leading the EMEA Finance Control Group through the aftermath of the 2008 financial crash.
Before joining Bank of America, David spent 5 years consulting within the Finance and Performance Management Global Service Line at Accenture, running multiple successful projects in the UK, Europe and Asia. David qualified as an accountant and corporate treasurer at telecoms company Global Marine Systems Ltd in 2003 before joining Accenture.
David is a passionate endurance athlete having completed swims across the English channel and straits of Gibraltar. He is currently working towards the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and enjoying supporting his daughters with their own swimming and running endeavours.
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About Construct: Construct helps organizations with learners, like schools and employers, create beautiful, cutting edge digital learning experiences.
Damien Ducourty
Founder & Managing Director of B9lab
#B9lab is the independent provider of quality education, advice and research about blockchain technology and decentralised applications. Our clients are leading global institutions as well as talented individual developers around the world. I’m an experienced entrepreneur and executive with a track record of bringing disruptive software solutions to market in technology and finance. I like working with groups of talented people to provide tangible and valuable solutions. I always engage ethically and believe that sustainability and accountability can fuel growth. I want to be proud of what I do everyday! Attributes: Hands on, conscientious, strategic, persistent but not stubborn, creative, curious and highly personable, love Win Win, try hard everyday to change the world and resist my biases.
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About B9lab: Upskilling gifted developers for high paying, bleeding-edge jobs whatever their background
Will Paterson
Founder and Director of EdPlace
Will Paterson led the acquisition of EdPlace in 2011 and its subsequent re-launch in 2012. His working life started in corporate finance in the City of London. He left his finance career 7 years ago and started working online. In 2007 he co-founded and ran Plebble for four years before moving on to EdPlace. The extra support I got from those around him was invaluable through his school and university years. With EdPlace he hope to foster that same support for parents and children alike.
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About EdPlace: EdPlace is dedicated to empowering parents in their child’s education.
Patrick Cooke
Partner & Marketing Director of EdPlace
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About EdPlace: EdPlace is dedicated to empowering parents in their child’s education.
Mike Warriner
Non Executive Director of Classlist.com
Mike Warriner is SVP Engineering for Crypto.com, building a world class Crypto-currency engineering team across Europe. Previously VP/CTO for Skyscanner, Digital CIO at HSBC and Engineering Director at Google, Mike has 30 years of experience across all aspects of the technology industry. Mike has a passion for STEM and Computer Science education and making sure that our children are able to be instrumental in the amazing technical opportunities that are all around them. He holds a MA in Computer Science from Cambridge University and lives in the UK with his wife and two young children.
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About Crypto.com: Classlist enables parents at the same school to make trusted, secure connections; making their life easier and school communities stronger.
Becky Sage
Director of Acceleration of EDUCATE Ventures Research
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About EDUCATE Ventures Research: Educate serves as a catalyst for the development of EdTech products and services that are supported by facts.
Vishaal Shah
Group Finance Director of Learning Possibilities
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About Learning Possibilities: Learning Possibilities develops and provides a cloud based school learning platform for education and government customers.
Leon Walker
Director of FLASH
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About FLASH: Flash is a platform that provides curriculum design, develops metacognition, and creates self-regulated learners.
Zara Ransley
Director and Co-Founder of MyPocketSkill Ltd
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About MyPocketSkill Ltd: Creating a financially empowered Gen Z
Sue West
Client Service Director of Eukleia Training
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About Eukleia Training: Eukleia provides a comprehensive and integrated range of e-learning services and learning technologies to corporate and government clients.
John Roberts
Director of Product and Technology of Oak National Academy
John Roberts is Co-Founder & Director of Education at Sixth Domain.
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About Oak National Academy: Oak National Academy provides a sequenced plan of video lessons and curricular resources for teachers.
Nathan Pitman
Managing Director of iHASCO
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About iHASCO: iHASCO provides and integrated Health & Safety, HR and Business compliance training platform for SMBs.
Nathan Pitman
Managing Director of iHASCO
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About iHASCO: iHASCO provides and integrated Health & Safety, HR and Business compliance training platform for SMBs.
