Mark Lester
FourthRev
Mark is Chief Partnerships Officer at FourthRev, an edtech venture partnered with 10 of the top global technology companies that works with leading universities and employers to deliver programmes with direct pathways to qualifications and jobs in the digital economy. Formerly, he was co-founder and Managing Director of Universities and Educational Partnerships at FutureLearn, one of the world's foremost massive open online course (MOOC) platforms. He was responsible for growing FutureLearn's partnerships to over 150 leading research-intensive universities and specialist organisations. In his position, he advised university executives on the higher education landscape, digital strategy and internationalisation. Mark spearheaded FutureLearn's online degrees and microcredential propositions, securing FutureLearn’s first degree partnerships and founding the European Common Microcredential Framework. In his earlier career, Mark headed the strategy unit at the Open University in the UK and worked at Monitor Group advising clients and government on strategic challenges across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.