Simon Nelson, Chief Executive Officer of FutureLearn

Episode Overview

Among other topics, Simon discusses the following with Metis Strategy:

• Simon’s vision for FutureLearn, and how he started the company
• How he has leveraged his non-academic background to run a MOOC
• FutureLearn’s revenue model, and what Simon thinks about his company’s position vis-à-vis traditional educational institutions and other MOOCs
• How FutureLearn engages cultural institutions to enhance its product
• The creative potential of forming a more collaborative MOOC sphere
• Eye on the Trends: Mobile learning, changing technology to make MOOC learning more conducive to non-STEM subjects

Simon Nelson’s Biography

Simon is the CEO of FutureLearn, a massive open online course (MOOC) founded in late 2012 as a company majority owned by the UK’s Open University.

Simon also oversees digital activities for Phaidon Press, a role he retained while joining Futurelearn Ltd as CEO in late 2012.

Prior to his current roles, Simon led a number of projects in the TV, radio and publishing sectors for companies including Random House, UKTV, Specific Media and New York Public Radio. He also spent more than a decade at the BBC, leading all digital activities for the BBC’s television divisions where he helped launch the iPlayer and built an award winning portfolio of online and cross platform services.

Simon is a graduate of University of Cambridge and holds an MBA from University of Manchester.

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