Learning Pool Appoints Benoit de La Tour as CEO to Lead Growth Plans

DERRY & NEW YORK, August 22, 2024—Learning Pool, the smarter learning technology company, is delighted to announce the appointment of Benoit de la Tour as its new Chief Executive Officer as part of a planned succession process at Learning Pool.

Since Marlin Equity Partners acquired Learning Pool in 2021, the company has enjoyed strong growth and continued success, solidifying its position as one of the most significant global players in the learning technology market. Rated as a ‘Strategic Leader’ by industry analysts, Learning Pool has largely been led by its founding management team to this point. The time is now right for this team, led by Paul McElvaney as Executive Chairman and Ben Betts as CEO, to step back from day-to-day operations and pass the baton for the next chapter.

Under de la Tour’s new leadership, Learning Pool will continue to build on the significant growth and global expansion achieved over the last two decades while further developing its reputation as the innovative provider of learning technology solutions across its markets. Learning Pool has been at the forefront of empowering enterprises globally to upskill and reskill their workforce. Leveraging data-driven learning technologies, the company offers personalized insights into each learner’s profile and skillset, aligning learning initiatives with both individual needs and business objectives to create smarter workplace learning experiences.

de la Tour brings a wealth of experience to the role with an exceptional track record of leading scaled global technology businesses – most recently as CEO of Advantive, a market leader in ERP for specialty manufacturing and distribution, operating in 88 countries worldwide. Prior to Advantive, de la Tour was CEO at Navis and previously held a number of leadership roles at Microsoft and Infor.

Jan-Olivier Fillols, a Managing Director at Marlin Equity Partners—who has been a board member of Learning Pool since Marlin’s acquisition—will become Chairman of the Board. 

“At this stage in Learning Pool’s journey, we are excited to announce Benoit as our new global CEO,” said Jan-Olivier Fillols. “His visionary leadership and extensive experience in building global technology businesses of scale will be instrumental as we continue to grow the business and ensure that Learning Pool remains the partner of choice for customers looking for world-class learning experiences leveraging cutting-edge technology.” 

On his appointment, de la Tour commented, “Learning and development is the driving force behind employee growth and organizational success, and I am honoured to be trusted with leading Learning Pool during this exciting phase of its growth journey. Our customer-centric, dedicated team—coupled with our loyal customer base and innovative solution set—position us as a true leader within the market. I look forward to working closely with the Board, our teams, and our partners to realise our shared vision.”

Jan-Olivier Fillols continued, “We thank Ben for his near 20 years of service in building the business, from his original time at HT2 Labs (acquired by Learning Pool in 2019), to his continued success in helping to develop Learning Pool into the position it is today. We look forward to continuing to work with Paul in his capacity as a significant investor in Learning Pool and an active contributor to our Board in a non-executive role.”

For more information about Benoit de la Tour and Learning Pool’s future plans, please click here or contact [email protected].

About Learning Pool

Learning Pool is a learning technology company that optimizes employee performance with intelligent, data-driven experiences. Through its enterprise portfolio, Learning Pool has crafted learning journeys for thousands of organizations and their business units worldwide, enabling smarter compliance, onboarding, and upskilling. The company’s dedication to creating business impact and constantly innovating is the reason customers like Valvoline, Villeroy & Boch, and Royal Caribbean Group, choose Learning Pool to enhance the efficiency and productivity of their workforce. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Derry, with offices in the UK and North America, Learning Pool employs 450 people worldwide. For more information, visit Learning Pool, X, and LinkedIn.