Sir Michael Barber

• Oxford University

Sir Michael led the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit for the Blair administration in the UK from 2001-2005. Since then, he has worked on delivery and system-wide reforms in more than 50 countries. He personally leads high-stakes engagements with political leaders, such as quarterly cabinet retreats in Canada with PM Justin Trudeau, to help them adopt the delivery approach.

As Chief Education Advisor at Pearson, Michael led a worldwide programme of efficacy and research, playing a particular role in Pearson’s strategy for education in the poorest sectors of the world, especially in fast-growing developing economies.

Prior to working at Pearson, he was a Partner at McKinsey & Company and Head of McKinsey’s global education practice. He is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Exeter. Before joining government he was a professor at the Institute of Education at the University of London.