Pearson (FTSE: PSON) announced the appointment of three new non-executive directors to its board, effective October 1, 2026, chair Omid Kordestani said.
Michael Barkin and Vivek Sharma will join as independent non-executive directors. Alex Svensson, a partner at Cevian Capital — which has become Pearson’s largest shareholder — will take a non-executive seat. His appointment follows a relationship agreement between the two parties. Svensson will also sit on Pearson’s Nomination and Governance Committee from October 1.
Barkin currently serves as president and a board director of Clear Secure, Inc., where he transitions into an advisory role in October. He previously held the position of executive vice president and chief financial officer at Vail Resorts, and earlier worked at KRG Capital Partners, Bain Capital Partners, and Bain & Company.
Sharma is CEO and co-founder of Quantelix, a quantum technology-enabled biosensing company. He previously co-founded InStride and held leadership roles at The Walt Disney Company and Yahoo. He serves on the boards of JetBlue Airways, Coforge, and Kaiser Permanente.
Svensson has worked with Pearson for six years since joining Cevian in 2014.
Kordestani said the new directors bring "financial experience and expertise in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies" to the board.
The company provided no further information in accordance with UK Listing Rule 6.4.8.
