What led you to your current role at Pearson?
I have spent much of my career advising and supporting organisations on human capital-based problems. For the four years prior to my current role, I had been leading and developing our Enterprise strategy, which involved looking deeply into human capital challenges facing large organisations, so, when it came to working with our customers to understand and try and solve their human capital challenges, it felt like a good fit.
What aspect of work do you find most rewarding?
Solving customer problems. When there is a great fit between an organisational challenge and how we can help, that is great, as I know it will have a positive impact on many people’s lives.
What’s the biggest leadership lesson you’ve learned during your career?
I am not sure that it is a lesson, but I try to demonstrate empathy in leadership. It is really important that people can be authentic at work and they feel psychologically safe. I believe that this, along with empowerment, allows people to thrive and be successful.
What’s one common misconception people have about your work or the education sector?
People think that Pearson is a textbook publisher! Our mission is to help people live the life they imagine through learning – and this requires so much more than textbooks! We support people in schools, colleges, universities and work, and we work with data, assessments, content and many other products and services to support our customers.
If you could offer one piece of advice to your 18-year-old self, what would it be?
Reality – Expectations = Happiness!
If you had a superpower, what would it be – and how would you use it?
This one is easy – it would be to be able to teleport. I can’t be doing with long journeys, and I am fortunate to have friends across the country and the world, so I would like to be able to visit them easily by teleporting! Not to mention missing daily commutes!
Oliver Latham is a keynote speaker at Leadership Live 2026. To find out more and secure your tickets, visit the Leadership Live website.
