Piers Lea is a British businessman, who is currently Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LINE Communications

Line Communications

LINE Communications is a privately held, European-based blended learning and communications solution company. LINE is recognised by the British Computer Society as the UK market leader in bespoke e-learning content development....

. He founded the company in 1989.

Early life

The son of soldier, judge and lay priest, Christopher Lea, he was born near Reading

Reading, Berkshire

Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....

, Berkshire

Berkshire

Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...

, UK, in 1961. He was educated at the Courtauld Institute and the University of London

University of London

-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...

.

Professional career

He has worked in distance learning and communications since his time at the University of London

University of London

-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...

. From here, he worked for Channel 4

Channel 4

Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...

, EPIC and Video Arts before founding LINE Communications

Line Communications

LINE Communications is a privately held, European-based blended learning and communications solution company. LINE is recognised by the British Computer Society as the UK market leader in bespoke e-learning content development....

 in 1989.

He works in both a strategic and consultative level within LINE Communications

Line Communications

LINE Communications is a privately held, European-based blended learning and communications solution company. LINE is recognised by the British Computer Society as the UK market leader in bespoke e-learning content development....

 and has developed learning and communications solutions for clients such as BP

BP

BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...

, Ford of Europe, Anglo American, BT

BT Group

BT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...

, Nokia

Nokia

Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...

, Volvo Car Corporation, Department for Education and Skills

Department for Education and Skills

The Department for Education and Skills was a United Kingdom government department between 2001 and 2007. It was responsible for the education system and children's services in England. On 28 June 2007 the department was split in two by Gordon Brown's government...

, The Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)

The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....

, University for Industry, National College for School Leadership

National College for School Leadership

The National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services is a British government-funded non-departmental public body which offers head teachers, school leaders and senior children's services leaders opportunities for professional leadership development.- History :Established in 2000...

 and the BBC

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

.

He has led LINE Communications

Line Communications

LINE Communications is a privately held, European-based blended learning and communications solution company. LINE is recognised by the British Computer Society as the UK market leader in bespoke e-learning content development....

 to become the UK’s largest bespoke e-learning

E-learning

E-learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. The information and communication systems, whether networked learning or not, serve as specific media to implement the learning process...

provider.
In 2009, his achievements were recognised by the industry, when he collected the E-Learning Industry Award for Outstanding Achievement.

In January 2011 he was ranked in the top two corporate e-learning movers and shakers in the UK and top six in Europe.