Martin Bean is Vice-Chancellor of the Open University (OU), the UK’s largest academic institution and a global leader in the provision of flexible and inspiring learning.

Before joining the OU in October 2009, he was General Manager within Microsoft’s Worldwide Education Products Group where he was focused on developing solutions to help the global education community address its challenges.

As well as commercial roles spanning from Europe to Asia Pacific to North America, he is heavily involved in shaping education in the developed and developing world, and is currently a member of the Commonwealth of Learning’s Board of Governors. The 46-year-old Australian holds a Bachelor’s degree in Adult Education from the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.