International Think Tank

Sharon Claffey Kaliouby

Sharon Claffey Kaliouby is the VP of Market Strategy for Intellum. Intellum is an enterprise wide technology with an innovative LMS app (Exceed) and Social Media app (Tribe). At Intellum she is an industry expert welcoming dialogue and debate around best case scenarios.

Previously Sharon was the Senior Vice President of Learning Solutions at Enterprise Ireland. In this role she was an international senior market advisor,  in the Learning and Development industry,  to the government of Ireland and it’s client companies.

Before Learning Solutions Sharon was Director of eServices for Thomson Corporation’s Center of Excellence. She managed the corporate eLearning needs for a population of 40,000 employees.

Donald H Taylor

Donald H Taylor is a 25 year veteran of the learning, skills and human capital industries, with experience at every level from classroom and online delivery to chairman of the board.

A recognised commentator and organiser in the fields of workplace learning and learning technologies, Donald is passionately committed to helping develop the learning and development profession.

His background ranges from training delivery to director and vice-president positions in software companies. Donald has been a company director and owner for three companies through start up, growth and acquisition.

He is an influential writer and speaker in the fields of the professional development of L&D and of technology-supported learning. He was the 2007 recipient of the Colin Corder award for services to training and has chaired the Learning Technologies Conference since 2000. He also chairs the Learning and Skills Group, hosting its bi-weekly webinar programme, and edits Inside Learning Technologies Magazine

David Mallon

David Mallon leads the Research team at Bersin & Associates.  He is responsible for establishing overall strategy and direction for the firm’s research efforts, ensuring timely and efficient production of new research, establishing member professional development offerings, and driving continuous innovation in methods and outputs.

Previously, Mallon had been responsible for some of Bersin & Associates’ most innovative and thought provoking work, including major industry studies such as High Impact Learning Culture, Learning Management Systems, and High Impact Learning Practices. His research now plays a central role in the learning strategies of companies such as Kaiser Permanente, Michelin, Microsoft, and Xerox.

Stacey Harris

Stacey Harris leads Brandon Hall Group’s research organisation, overseeing their strategy and agenda in five research portfolio areas of Talent, Learning, Sales, Marketing, and Executive Management. With over 15 years of research, consulting, and practitioner experience Stacey has led key research initiatives in strategic HR, talent strategy, organisation and governance, and measurement. Harris has also worked with companies such as McDonald’s, Lockheed Martin, Cisco, and Pfizer on a variety of mission-critical talent initiatives.

David Perring

David Perring is Director of Research at Elearnity, one of Europe’s leading independent Learning and Talent Analyst. David is responsible for Elearnity’s corporate and vendor research agenda and process, including management of Elearnity’s corporate research network, topic-based research papers, vendor briefing programme and Vendor Perspectives. In addition, David also leads a range of research and thought leadership activities on the realities of Learning and Talent Technology and Innovation in Europe.

David has a practical background in Performance Development. He has been involved in Learning Technologies for over 12 years, formerly as Head of Learning Solutions and Technologies at Virgin Media and more recently at RSA Group.

Vincent Wade

Vincent Wade is an Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science and Statistics, Trinity College Dublin and Research Director for the Knowledge and Data Engineering Group (KDEG). He is also Research Director of the Intelligent Systems Lab.

In 1998, Vincent founded and is currently Director of the Centre for Learning Technology. This Centre is responsible for strategic planning and operation of College’s eLearning strategy. It currently has over 10,000 online students enrolled and supports over 400 blended elearning courses. He is co-ordinator for the National Digital Learning Repository (NDLR), a national project comprising seven universities, fourteen Institute of Technology and HEAnet. The goal of the NDLR is to support sharing of eLearning expertise and resources between HEA funded Higher Education establishments and support a national online repository for digital learning and teaching resources.

Piers Lea

Piers has worked in distance learning and communications since his time at the University of London (1980-83). From here he went to work for Channel 4, EPIC and Video Arts before founding LINE in 1989. He has developed learning and communications solutions for such clients as BP, Ford of Europe, Anglo American, BT, Nokia, Volvo Car Corporation, Department for Education and Skills, The Ministry of Defence, University for Industry, National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services and the BBC.

Through his practical experience, Piers has led the company to become the foremost learning solutions consultancy. Under his guidance LINE helped to set the standards for e-learning organisations ranging from the UK Ministry of Defence to Ford of Europe, while winning awards for learning solutions every year since 1989. Piers is a European Learning Industry Group (ELIG) Ambassador.

Ian Cumming

With over 25 years of working experience, over 15 in management within an International European framework, working in an EU agency responsible for external cooperation in the fields of human capital development, education and training (www.etf.europa.eu), applying knowledge and practitioner experience in the design and implementation of change involving the introduction of knowledge management and brokerage practices. Currently working int the ETF as senior Knowledge Management specialist assigned to projects including capacity building in evidence based policy in vocational training for the European Union neighbourhood partners.

Master degrees in ICT and Business administration combined with experience working with specialist EU agencies, and the European institutions: Commission, Parliament, Council and Committees in establishing KM strategies and in leading implementation across international networks, founding member of the inter agency ICT managers’ committee ICTAC.

Derek D. Wright FLPI

Derek is highly experienced Manager, Consultant and Trainer with over 25 years IT and Technical knowledge in Health, Manufacturing, Energy, Transport, Rail and Engineering. He has undertaken roles both in the UK and abroad. Currently he is responsible for Managing the Training activities in the UAE for the largest Health Information System Implementation ever undertaken in the Middle East. This challenging role involves managing the training of over 9000 diverse staff in multiple applications in multiple locations across the UAE.

Derek has a proven track record in defining objectives, and delivering results through understanding of the business. That, associated with his excellent communication, management and training skills lead to highly regarded courses in whatever subject he may be training.

Nigel Paine

Nigel Paine has been involved in learning technologies for over twenty years. He has run organisations producing software, CD Roms and multimedia materials,one of which won an EMMA (European Multi-media award).  His company was the first in the UK to have educational software bundled by Apple for the US market.Appointed in April 2002 to head up the BBC’s Learning and Development operation where he built one of the most successful learning and development operations in the UK. This included an award winning Leadership programme, state of the art informal learning and knowledge sharing and one of the most successful and well-used intranets in the Corporate sector. All this while managing the largest broadcast training operation in the world.

Maritza van den Heuvel

Maritza spent six years carrying out linguistics research after completing a postgraduate degree in languages. After which she migrated to the software industry, where she learnt software development from the inside out, starting in technical documentation and working her way through testing, managing the support desk and ultimately driving strategic and functional product development as Product Manager.
She is currently at Pearson Education, where she is using her background in product development and process improvement to manage and co-ordinate digital learning projects in Southern Africa.

Mark Doughty

Mark joined Deutsche Bank (DB) as Global Talent & Leadership Director for the Infrastructure Division in September 2010. Mark’s early career includes Sainsbury’s, Generale Des Eaux and Legal & General. In 1997, Mark moved into international/global roles within the consumer sector working for Hitachi, Motorola and Dell respectively.  Mark has experience of delivering a range of Organisation Development solutions around Culture Change, Leadership, Strategy Execution, Organisation Effectiveness, and High Performance, many of which have impacted revenue earnings, operating margins and cash flow. Mark is a member of the British Psychological Society, holds both an M.Ed. (Adult Learning), and an M.A. (Strategy) along with being a Green belt in 6 Sigma.