Simon Brown

Simon Brown is the Global Learning and Development Leader at EY and an international best-selling author of The Curious Advantage. With a career dedicated to reshaping how organisations learn and adapt, he brings insight into how people and businesses can thrive in a constantly evolving world. At EY, he leads the learning strategy for over 400,000 people across more than 150 countries, focusing on building the skills and mindsets needed for lasting, meaningful change. Simon’s professional journey has spanned the finance, technology, and pharmaceutical sectors. After co-founding one of the UK's leading e-learning companies, Brightwave, he moved to Accenture, where he consulted for major firms such as BT, BP, Microsoft, and Canon. His interest in industry-specific transformation took shape through key roles in the banking sector, before leading a major learning transformation at Lloyds Banking Group. In 2013, Simon joined Novartis in Switzerland to establish and lead various global learning functions, including the Capability Building Academy and the Global Development University. His leadership culminated in heading the Learning Centre of Excellence and Novartis Universities, with a focus on digital learning and cross-divisional capability building. His work contributed to Novartis being ranked among the world’s top companies for talent development. A member of the World Economic Forum Chief Learning Officer Community, Simon also supports emerging learning and EdTech companies as an angel investor. His approach is rooted in a belief that learning unlocks transformation for individuals, organisations, and society. Simon is also a co-host of the popular podcast The Curious Advantage, which ranks in the top 10% of podcasts worldwide. He is a regular keynote speaker on learning, leadership, and transformation, particularly regarding the potential of artificial intelligence in education.