ChrisN (Offline)  

About ChrisN

Name

Chris Newson

Where I study

Last studied at the Uni of Strathclyde, but now learn most from biographies, blogs and friends

Occupation

Chief Executive of The Student Room Group

Orientation

Currently lying down

Star Sign

Pisces

About me

After starting my career in internet marketing, I became the Marketing and Operations Director of Jobsite - the UK's largest job website. It runs www.jobsite.co.uk and around 40 other niche websites.

Jobsite grew rapidly - which makes me very proud. There were 15 employees when I started and 150 when I finished. We were profitable every year throughout the dotcom boom and bust. We featured in the Sunday Times Profit Track for being one of the country's fastest growing private companies. I'd love to do similar with The Student Room.

We sold a 49% stake to Manpower in 2000. The Daily Mail bought the whole company in 2004.

After Jobsite I worked as a consultant for Manpower - the $16 Billion multinational HR Services company - overhauling the sales & marketing for their online psychometric testing business; reviewing and helping them relaunch their global recruitment websites; and as part of an HR services team working with the Shanghai Municipal Government.

In February 2006 I bought the majority stake in The Student Room Group.

I live in Brighton and am married with two young children, and spend too much time doing up my victorian house. I'm that old, I even like gardening now

Follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/chrisnewson

Academic Info

11 GCSEs and 3 science A Levels followed by 4 years in Glasgow resulting in a BA (Hons) in Finance and Marketing from the University of Strathclyde.

It's fair to say that education wasn't my main focus though, and I love the thought of making learning more inspiring and fun, and helping today's students be better students than I ever was.

Interests

My work - I love it and think everyone else should too

My lovely wife and kids - what life's really all about

Gardening - I find it very relaxing even if it does make me sound like an old man!

Restoring my Victorian house - it's beautiful but eats time and money

Skiing - you can't beat that feeling of being first down a sunny mountain

Sailing - Maybe being a Pisces is to blame, but I do love the water.

Kayaking - I started doing this on Brighton Beach last year. I need to get out more this year as I really love the mix of calm sunny sunsets, and (trying to!) surf on the crazy weather days.

About The Student Room Group

The Student Room Group are based in an old Grain Store in North Laine, Brighton - the colourful, hippy lanes part of town, and in a lovely old converted vinegar factory between Bermondsey Street & Tower Bridge in London.

In 2001 our first websites were launched - all designed to help students share academic and social knowledge and experiences. In the last 11 years they've grown to become huge academic and social resources attracting 7 million + students every month.

In addition to TSR, we also own the following brilliant social learning sites:

MarkedbyTeachers.com
GetRevising.co.uk