Mark combines a strong academic background with extensive expertise in education and marketing. As a late exhibitioner and BA in History at Downing College, Cambridge Mark has continued to apply the use of his degree qualifications in researching and interpreting empirical data throughout his professional a career.

Initially after graduating in the 1980s, Mark worked in the London Book and Publishing Industries before moving to specialise in direct marketing for the last twenty years. Initially Mark successfully worked and managed a range of clients in a ‘below the line’ agency in West London including Royal Mail, Safeway, Prudential and Microsoft; increasingly the agency successfully attracted technology brands such as Reuters, Dixons and PC World, Comet, BT, Intel, HP and Sony.

Mark has always had a strong and sustained personal interest in education and the wider community (he is Churchwarden at a West London parish) and through his wife (who is a languages teacher) and through three children as they have progressed through primary, secondary and higher education.  In 2003 Mark was approached by a number of his technology clients to help them engage and work in the expanding education sector in the UK and founded ConnectED out of this experience.

ConnectED has grown over the years to successfully represent Sony technologies and work for thousands of educational institutions in both the UK and across EMEA. Most notably ConnectED has taken Sony Virtuoso language lab software from a standing start 6 years ago to becoming the premier language lab of choice for top schools and universities both in the UK and the Middle East. ConnectED has also successfully launched a programme for Sony PlayStation in Education, showing how education can embrace and use mainstream gaming platforms for real and tangible results in student attainment and engagement. Most recently ConnectED has launched its own ConnectED TV product and has been developing a dynamic teacher training programme around the use and deployment of interactive and games based technologies with an increasing number of UK and international clients.

Following a teaching career of 36 years Richard is now works with schools and educational organisations supporting the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning.

With 25 years of experience in using IT in eduction, the last 10 managing an educational research and training centre Richard has expertise in developing creative approaches in the use of technology to enable teachers to deliver engaging, effective and efficient lessons.

Richard has presented at conferences in the UK and abroad sharing his ideas, thoughts and experiences of using the whole range of technologies across the whole age spectrum and abilities. Richard is most passionate about working along side teachers and their students in their school and classrooms therefore enabling the sharing of ideas and strategies whilst delivering effective continuing professional development.

Will is ConnectED’s language technology specialist, he is passionate about the use of ICT in the teaching and learning of languages and uses the latest software and technology to create simple and motivating language learning exercises which give students immediate feedback on their progress. Will creates online activities which mirror exactly what is happening in the classroom. Will’s exercises concentrate on reading and writing skills and he now develops exercises for enhancing listening and speaking skills.

Will presents workshop sessions on how to find, create and use rich multimedia content and technology to stimulate language learning both within the classroom and in a Language Lab. His sessions explain how to maximize the use of existing technology and resources to enhance student engagement, interaction and results.

Will has recently initiated and organized the installation of a Sony Virtuoso language lab at Didcot Girl’s School. He regularly trains and assist teachers in the use of ICT hardware and software, enabling them to maximize their use of the facilities available to them.

Technical expert Leon manages the onsite and remote installations for our language lab software Sony Virtuoso supported by our Technical Analyst Derek Bridgman. Leon combines an expert knowledge of IT and Sony Virtuoso to ensure clients technical requirements are met and installations run smoothly and to schedule.

Tony provides service delivery and training management throughout the EMEA region.

Previous to his role at ConnectED Tony served in the Army for 7 years, completed University and for the past 12 years has worked in the information technology industry.  He has worked for organisations such as Capita SIMS & Computacenter and is experienced in a technical, project & senior management capacity.  His professional qualifications include a number of Microsoft certifications, ITIL Manager Certification and Prince 2.

“I strive to ensure the schools I work for are provided with, not only the training to use the products supplied, but also to enthuse them with the same passion I feel about the products & good practice we deliver”

Nisha is our clients 1st point of contact for invoicing and accounts queries. She works steadfastly and brilliantly behind the scenes to make sure this part of the sales process runs smoothly for our clients in the UK and overseas.

As Technical Service Analyst Derek offers 1st and 2nd line customer contact helping clients resolve any software issues, providing technical support for Sony Virtuoso, Sony Soloist, Sony PlayStation and augmented reality software Second Sight.

Derek started his career as a graphic designer (which comes in handy!) and also has experience in IT and client support at Fujitsu and The Wine Society. His experience in building client relationships and solving technical issues combined with his passion for gaming (Derek organises PlayStation and XBOX competitions around large sporting events) makes him the ideal point of contact for technical queries at ConnectED Services Ltd.

In his spare time he works on the branch committee at his local RSPCA educating owners on how to care for their animals and supporting on communications.

Tina has recently returned to the UK from Dubai where she was working as Business Development Manager for ConnectED.Now as Senior Account Manager she is responsible for managing our portfolio of PlayStation and Sony Virtuoso clients, leading on project management, maintaining and expanding relationships with our clients and managing the Playstatio sales process. Tina also works closely with our Director Mark Stimpfig to identify and develop new business opportunities.

Warren works with the ConnectED team contributing to our Game Based Learning events and projects. Warren began his career gaining an MA in Furniture Design at Bucks University. Alias Wavefront offered him an opportunity to use their 3D animation software and he eventually worked as a Virtual Set Designer for the BBC on projects such as ‘BamZooki’ and ‘Match of the Day’. Warren moved into BBC 3dfx department, concentrating on digital animation and won many prestigious awards. He continues his professional career as Creative Director for WAK Studios, working on new 3D projects. Warren is also a qualified Autodesk Maya trainer and is a Member of the Autodesk Secondary Education Advisory Board.

Miguel is passionate about the application of game-like application for teaching and learning languages, as well as in the localisation of polysemiotic interactive texts so essential in our globalised marketplace.

As a born pedagogue with twenty years’ experience in teaching at all levels, he has always been a technology-friendly teacher and an advocate for a variety of teaching methods to make the best of the different learning styles of students whatever their age. Game-based learning has enormous possibilities to complement formal education.

Miguel is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and he collaborates with the London consortium of Routes into Languages to promote the study of foreign languages through games. He coordinates the Game Localization Round Table within Localization World, is a registered member of the International Game Developers Association, and the co-founder of the Localization Special Interest Group. He is also the co-adviser for the Game Localization Summit within the Game Developers Conference.

Vanessa is Marketing Communications Manger for ConnectED. Her responsibilities include setting marketing strategy, delivering tactical marketing plans, branding, messaging, events management, project management, website development and PR.

Previous to her role at ConnectED Vanessa worked as Marketing Communications Manager for you:unlimited promoting their soft skills and management training courses. Up until 2006 Vanessa worked for BBC Resources, enjoying an exciting and varied role in marketing communications promoting production facilities (Studios, Outside Broadcasts and Post Production) to the BBC, other broadcasters and independent production companies.

Previously Vanessa worked in marketing for BBC Training & Development starting her career at the Centre for Broadcast Skills Training in Wood Norton, Worcestershire. A move to London followed where based in Marylebone High Street she was involved with marketing and promoting BBC Training & Development’s portfolio of management and business courses.

Ian brings more than 25 years of experience as a software technician, senior software industry executive, teacher and curriculum leader to ConnectED. He is passionate about the transformational impact that mobile, desktop and Internet technologies can have on the delivery of truly engaging, motivating and ultimately successful learning experiences.
He can draw on his wide experience of primary and secondary teaching using multi-media technologies to advise on everything from whole school to individual classroom or lesson strategies. Ian’s achievements have been recognised by his appointment as an Apple Education Mentor and Apple Distinguished Educator.

Currently studying for a Masters Degree in International Trade Nico represents ConnectED Services in France. Promoting language lab Sony Virtuoso to schools, colleges and universities. Nico researches opportunities for the company and regularly joins the UK team at our industry events.

Nicki has been advising the Board of ConnectED since January 2007.  She has practised employment, company and commercial law since 2001.  Before that she had careers in both the public/voluntary sector (working with young people in extracurricular projects alongside mainstream education) and also in the private sector (in PR and media) giving her a global perspective on the issues challenging  businesses today.

Following board roles as a Financial and Commercial Director, Karen has been running her own business consultancy for seventeen years.  The business offers commercial and financial advice to clients in the service, retail and manufacturing sectors.  Karen has worked extensively with start ups whilst also offering consultancy to household name fmcg clients and grooming a well known health and beauty business for sale.  Karen graduated in psychology, is a member of the BPS and a Fellow of the IFA.  She holds a post graduate certificate in Business Administration and a post graduate diploma from Southampton University