Mark Presley

I am a Practice Tutor on the SLA and SLMDA apprenticeship programmes, teaching BBXY876 Leadership in Practice. I am also an Associate Lecturer teaching on B870 Managing in a Changing World.

My professional background pivots around a long career in the Royal Air Force with a variety of operational tours and steering defence space policy in MoD and in the Cabinet Office. As Director of MAP Analytica, an SME consultancy, I worked with clients in government, industry and academia on UK space surveillance capability, space policy and strategy and was a member of the senior leadership team of the National Space Partnership, tasked with implementing the UK National Space Strategy.

Academically, I completed my MBA with the Open University in 2000. Studied for my MPhil in International Relations at Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge and My PhD research at King’s College London conducted a longitudinal study of US National Space Policies (1960 – 2010) to unpick the civil, national security and space industry influences. I continue my academic interests in space as an Honorary Fellow at the University of York.

After completing my MBA with the Open University in 2000, I wanted to keep my leadership and management knowledge up to date. The best way to do this (and get paid for the privilege) was to teach with the Open University and so I was lucky enough to secure a position as Associate Lecturer between 2001 and 2009 teaching B820 Business Strategy. After a few years break while working overseas, I returned to the UK and immediately wanted to engage with students again and rejoined the teaching staff as a Practice Tutor in 2018. Learning with apprentices and students from across the business spectrum is always interesting, rewarding and fulfilling. I learn so much from the variety of their work roles, the diversity of the organisations they work for and above all, am inspired by their ability to balance challenging work demands with home life and studies.

I’m a keen cyclist and live in York. To combine some exploring and exercise, I decided to cycle from home in York to a recent meeting at The Open University in Milton Keynes and back. The subsequent expenses claim caused consternation as, strangely, the system didn’t recognise such a long commute by bike!