Title Chief Executive Company Association of Employment and Learning Providers Bio Mark Dawe was recently appointed as the CEO of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers. This follows 5 years as the Chief Executive of the exam board OCR. He is currently a governor of Sawston Village College, vice chair of Stapleford Community Primary School and a scout leader. Mark has a wealth of experience across a board spectrum in the education field. Prior to his role at OCR, Mark was Principal of Oaklands College having been Deputy Director, FE Strategy at the Department of Education and Skills and before that as Deputy Director, Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit after joining the department in 2003. Having read Economics at Cambridge University before qualifying as a chartered accountant at KPMG, Mark joined Canterbury College, becoming Head of Corporate Services in 1994. In 2000, he helped set up eGS, an e-procurement provider to the public sector. Now a pioneer of the application of technology in education for improved administration learning, mark brings a wealth of insight from many years as a high-level leader in education. Historically a controversial figure, he famously suggested that students should be allowed to use Google search engines during exams and challenged the establishment over a potential shortage of examiners - a shortage he believed to be brought about by the impact of Government reforms. We look forward to Mark's arrival at the festival with enthusiasm and anticipation.