Thomson Learning, a global lifelong learning solutions company, has announced the appointment of John Kirkham as senior vice president of international operations, to be based in the company’s London office. Kirkham’s key objective is to establish Thomson Learning as the leading international provider of information technology training.

According to IDC, the worldwide IT education and training market outside of the United States represents 51% of the total market. Thomson Learning is dedicated to developing and distributing IT products and services that will meet the lifelong learning needs of those customers.

To meet the objectives of this position, Kirkham will establish a timely and cost effective translation program to produce courseware for key markets including Japan and Germany. He will also focus on the effective management and development of the existing Wave Technologies international operation and strengthen the distribution channel for Course Technology’s IT Corporate Learning portfolio. Wave Technologies and Course Technology are both Thomson Learning companies.

Kirkham has more than twenty years of international business experience in the IT training industry, most recently as vice president of international operations and UK managing director for Wave Technologies. He graduated from the London School of Economics with a B.Sc (economics) and holds a post-graduate business studies diploma from Manchester University.