Emerald Group announces the appointment of John Yates as Emerald Works CEO

John joins the learning business at an exciting time, with the company having just launched the Emerald Works brand in January this year.

This move saw three established international learning organizations, Good Practice, Towards Maturity and MindTools, come together to form Emerald Works, one global company that uses its unique combination of learning expertise and resources to unlock the potential of millions of learners around the world, and continue to make advancements in the organization’s mission to provide learning resources that people can use to make a real impact.

John joins from the City & Guilds Group, where he was Managing Director of their Corporate Learning businesses, Kineo (specializing in digital learning) and The Oxford Group (experts in leadership and management development). Prior to this he held leadership roles in BPP Learning Media, Cengage, Oxford University Press and Pearson Education, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Board and the wider business.

​Speaking of his appointment John said, “I'm delighted to be joining Emerald Group so soon after the launch of Emerald Works. More now than ever, this is a time when leaders and managers need rapid, remote access to trusted, practical online toolkits that are grounded in learning sciences research and solid workplace evidence. Over the past few years I've been a customer, partner and admirer of all Emerald Works' products and services, and I strongly believe that together these offer customers a unique opportunity to resolve their current challenges. Starting a new role like this during lockdown will provide me with a really useful insight into the challenges and opportunities inherent in the transfer and application of remote learning.”

Peter Casebow, who is leaving the business after two decades of leadership, said, “I couldn't be more delighted to be handing over to John, whose vision, experience and style are ideally suited to taking Emerald Works forward. After 20 years building the business it's great to leave it in such good hands and I wish John and the whole team every success.”

Richard Bevan, Emerald Group CEO, spoke of the new appointment saying, “This year has been an exciting time for Emerald Works, and I’m looking forward to seeing how John will lead, inspire and take the business forward. There has never been a more critical time to ensure we are working together with our customers and stakeholders, whether in an academic, public or corporate setting, to equip them with the evidence and tools to make smart choices that have a real impact. At the same time I would also like to thank Peter for his hard work, dedication and passion that he has brought to not only our business, but the industry throughout his career.”

John joins Patrick Jocelyn, who was recently appointed to the Board at the start of March this year as CRO (Chief Revenue Officer) for the B2B business at Emerald Works. Patrick joined from TES Global (digital education). He has significant sales and marketing experience in Software as Service (SaaS) based businesses.

About the Emerald Group

Emerald is a global learning organization, based in Bingley, West Yorkshire, with a global presence in 130 countries worldwide. While its roots are in publishing, and bringing research to life, the Group’s corporate learning division provides learners with the insight and tools they need to overcome challenges, improve performance and excel in the workplace. Founded in 1967, Emerald’s core purpose for over 50 years has been to champion fresh thinkers and help them make a difference so that little by little those in academia or in practice can unite to bring positive change in the real world. www.emeraldgroup.com

For more information contact Karen Preston, Marketing Communications Manager - kpreston@emerald.com