Cengage Learning, a leading educational content, software and services company, today announces the appointment of Julian Drinkall to President and CEO, Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) and India, effective September 27, 2012. In this key role, Mr. Drinkall will focus on driving growth across the EMEA and India business building new opportunities with international partners and customers and strengthening core existing relationships. He replaces Jill Jones who stepped down in July this year.
Mr. Drinkall joins Cengage Learning most recently from OC&C Strategy Consultants, where he helped build their media business, including key educational projects with the BBC and Cambridge University Press. Previously, he served as CEO of Macmillan Education when the unit was newly created and focused on strategy to address the trends of globalisation and digital. He built a new organisational structure and strengthened the performance and capabilities of the international education and English Language Teaching businesses. Before becoming CEO, he held the position of COO at the group level for Macmillan Publishers Limited. Mr. Drinkall’s earlier background includes key business development and merger, acquisition, and integration roles at Boots Group, IPC Media (Time Warner), BBC, Arthur D. Little, and Island International.
“We are excited to welcome Julian to our team. He has a range of experience in operations, strategy and corporate finance, as well as a deep understanding of digital media and education businesses, including managing transition,” said Manuel Guzman, Executive Vice President, Learning & Research Solutions and International, Cengage Learning. “In addition, his background working with international teams in education and English Language Teaching makes him an ideal candidate to lead our business in these regions.”
Julian Drinkall said, ‘I am delighted to be taking on this role at Cengage Learning of President and CEO for EMEA and India. Cengage Learning has talented teams around the world and an exceptional portfolio of leading-edge modern products and solutions for higher education, libraries and learning institutions. International education markets are growing in sophistication. Combined with the possibilities of new technologies, this context makes for exciting opportunities to bring about greater innovation and better outcomes across the entire education sector’.
Mr. Drinkall graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration focused on entrepreneurial management and finance and a Master’s in Public Administration, both from Harvard University.
