learnpurple London

Ben Buet - Business Development Manager

  • Ben joined learnpurple as e-learning coordinator in 2009 and was quickly promoted to Business Development Manager in 2010.
  • Building on his love for establishing relationships, and his naturally keen business sense, Ben is responsible for growing the elearning and public courses division whilst contributing to the success of our client organisations in a broader sense.
  • Before joining us, Ben coached and played professional cricket in Australia, an experience that taught him a lot about working in a team and motivating others.
  • When he returned, he continued to coach and play in the UK. He later joined Leeds Castle and here discovered his passion for working with people, making customers happy and exceeding expectations.

Caroline White - Client Support Supervisor, talent toolbox

  • Caroline joined learnpurple in April 2010 as a result of the strong links the company has formed with Oxford Brookes University.
  • With a keen eye for detail and a genuine love of helping clients, Caroline is ideally placed to work on our client support team and ensure that the online systems run smoothly. She also runs the talent toolbox family of solutions helpline so drop give her a call if you have any queries or suggestions.
  • Caroline studied hospitality and tourism management at Oxford Brookes before spending three years travelling the world and gaining valuable work and life experience.

Emily Moore - Business and Franchises Manager

  • Emily joined us in 2007 for work experience as part of her business management degree at the University of Gloucestershire.
  • She eagerly returned to the Purple Palace in August 2009 after completing her final year of University.
  • Emily has a dual remit of managing all support services as well as overseeing the smooth running of our franchise operations in Scotland and Dubai
  • She is a skilled multi-tasker, completing everything to the highest standard in super-quick time; and remains completely calm and efficient at all times.
  • For one so young, Emily is exceptionally mature in her approach. Because of this, 87% of learnpurple employees voted her as the person they’d most like to work with.

Emily Perry - Marketing Manager

  • Emily joined learnpurple as Marketing Manager in January 2011.
  • Her role is to take the ‘purple word’ to the world, providing the team with marketing tools whilst raising the profile of the business in the media. She also edited learnpurple's first book - Purple your People: the secrest to inspired, happy, more profitable people - written by Jane Sunley.
  • She is not completely new to learnpurple, however, as she previously managed learnpurple’s public relations activity whilst working as a PR Consultant.
  • Emily began her career at Canada Life Group Insurance. What was meant to be a one year role completed during her gap year, Emily soon found herself absorbed by the working world and still there six years later!
  • Her talent for marketing and communications was quickly recognised and she moved through the ranks from customer services and into the role of PR & Events Manager, holding this position for five years.
  • It was during this time she developed her passion for people; understanding the power of engaged employees and how this can significantly impact the bottom line.

Fiona Bradley - Finance Manager

  • As our Finance Manager, Fiona looks after the day-to-day activites of client accounts.
  • Prior to joining learnpurple, Fiona worked with Jane Sunley at Mayday Recruitment where she was the Operations Manager for 17 years; responsible for the central London branches.
  • Fiona has a strong background in hospitality having worked in hotels, restaurants and corporate hospitality as well as holding the ordinary national diploma in hotel and catering management.
  • Between leaving Mayday and joining learnpurple, Fiona took a career break so she could focus on her two lovely boys - Luke and Joe.

Jon Reed - Operations Director, talent toolbox

  • Jon joined learnpurple via the Acorn Scholarship, which he won in 2004.
  • Using knowledge gained from his strong background in hospitality management and leadership, Jon has achieved great results in many different areas of our business. He works closely with his clients in order to establish long lasting relationships and ensure they are optimising their talent.
  • During his time at learnpurple, Jon has gone on to win further accolades including the HR in Hospitality Rising Star Award in 2005 and a prestigious Acorn Award in 2006.
  • He is also now Chairman of the Acorn Scholarship and in this role he has grown the scheme into an enviable prize with an impressive track record of developing and inspiring other young people to go on and achieve great things in their careers.

Mary Jane Flanagan - Training Director

  • Mary Jane (MJ) joined learnpurple in February 2003 to design and deliver our purple leadership programmes.
  • She established learnpurple’s ‘Business Services Division’, taking the skills and standards from five star hotels and transferring them to businesses such as KPMG, Bank of America, Compass, UBS, Williams F1, Credit Suisse, and Cap Gemini.
  • MJ delivers high level bespoke management and leadership development as well as super-successful customer service development to a wide range of blue chip organisations.
  • Her style is logical, practical, relevant and fun; bringing about real change and a guaranteed return on investment.
  • MJ’s expertise, and many stories, comes from two decades as a leader and operator in the service industries. She opened All Bar One for Bass, the Issimo chain for Forte restaurants and worked as a director for other branded groups

Sally Brand - Business Development Manager

  • Sally joined learnpurple in 2009 as our Business Development Manager, a role in which she is perfectly placed.
  • She helps spread the purple magic by making sure as many organisations as possible can benefit from learnpurple’s innovative and effective products and services.
  • Sally’s experience comes from roles in international recruitment, financial services and leading hospitality groups including the Bay Restaurant Group and Scottish & Newcastle Brewery.
  • Before entering the working world, Sally graduated in English Studies from the University of Nottingham, and took time out to travel in South East Asia and Australia.

Sam Gardner - Account Manager, talent toolbox

  • Sam joined learnpurple in September 2011 as a graduate from Oxford Brookes University where he studied hospitality management.
  • His background consists of operational hospitality work and relished the chance of working in the fields of human resources and talent management
  • Working as an account manager for talent toolbox, Sam enjoys supporting organisations in their mission to become a great place to work whilst helping them engage, develop and retain talented individuals through the online system.
  • Sam is also an avid traveller and has explored India, South East Asia and South America over the last two years.

Sol Arigos - Client Support Manager, talent toolbox

  • Our fluent Spanish speaker Sol joined learnpurple in 2008 and is responsible for ensuring our clients’ web-enabled talent management systems run smoothly.
  • Her incredibly thorough and organised nature serves her perfectly within the talent toolbox family of solutions team and helps ensure our clients’ are able to enjoy the ultimate purple experience when working with us.
  • Sol’s expertise comes from roles held in hotel operations, revenue management within Marriott UK and marketing for an international phone company.
  • Before joining learnpurple, Sol lived in several different countries after graduating in hospitality management with honours in Argentina in 2000.

Tom Goldfarb - Client Support, talent toolbox

  • Tom is our newest recruit, joining learnpurple in February 2012 as Client Support for talent toolbox.
  • In this role he assists clients; ensuring things run smoothly with their talent toolbox system. He's eager to lend a supporting hand and welcomes all questions.
  • Prior to joining us, Tom worked for seven years in a community pharmacy; acquiring vital customer service and problem solving skills.
  • It was in this role he realised that he enjoyed the day-to-day communication and interaction with customers and wanted to build on this skill set.
  • Tom is also a great team player, using skills learnt on the football pitch to influence his relationships with colleague, friends and clients.