MISSION
Driving Change Through Learning
We connect curious minds with world-class experts to create learning experiences that inspire new ideas, build real skills, and help organisations and people move forward.
timeline
Our Story
Key milestones in the evolution of Learning with Experts.
2010–2015
Foundations in Digital Communities
Learning with Experts was founded by Elspeth Briscoe, shaped by her passion for digital communities and her career at technology disruptors, including eBay and Skype. During this period, Elspeth also began raising her family of three children, while building an online horticultural community rooted in expert teaching, shared learning and learner engagement. In 2015, she accelerated the business by taking funding and hiring CTO and long-term collaborator Dan Rosewarne. Putting interaction, engagement and behaviour change at the heart of online learning became part of LWE’s DNA, and continues to run through the business today.
2016
Investment and Platform Development
Learning with Experts secured its first round of investment and welcomed CTO Dan Rosewarne to the team. This strengthened the company’s technical foundations and supported the launch of Classroom 2.0, as the business expanded into multiple consumer categories, including photography and food.
2017
Community Growth and Specialist Learning
Elspeth and the team continued growing the expert-led community model, expanding into more specialist subject areas and proving the strength of interactive online classrooms built around expert teaching and peer learning. During this formative period, James Eden joined the board of MyOnlineSchool Ltd, trading as Learning with Experts, helping support the company’s early growth before later returning as Chairman in 2026.
2018
Rebrand and RHS Approval
The business rebranded as Learning with Experts and became an RHS-approved distance learning provider. This was a major step in building the company’s reputation for trusted, accredited education, alongside further expansion into jewellery, food and drink.
2019
Partnerships, Product and Creative Leadership
Learning with Experts established its first B2B partnership with Goldsmiths and expanded into floristry, while strengthening the leadership team with Steve Thompson as Creative Director and Paul Crabtree as Lead Engineer, both joining from Razorfish. Rupert Pennant-Rea, former Editor of The Economist and Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, became Chairman, and the company formed strategic partnerships with BBC Good Food and BBC Gardeners’ World through Immediate Media. During this period, Mark Fishleigh also joined the board from Capita, bringing valuable experience in healthcare, public sector transformation, and large-scale organisational change.
2020
Growth, Production and Wellbeing
Learning with Experts secured a second round of investment and hired Rob Ludgate, former Head of Production at Channel 4 News, to lead production. Rob brought with him an exceptional network of camera operators from news, documentary and David Attenborough filming, raising the quality and ambition of LWE’s course production. During Covid-19, Elspeth and the team moved quickly to remote filming, launched a wellbeing initiative, and expanded partnerships with Professor Sir Muir Gray, The Goldsmiths’ Centre, the University of Buckingham and River Cottage.
2021
Health, Wellbeing and Evidence-Led Learning
Learning with Experts deepened its work in health and wellbeing, building on the Live Longer Better programme with Professor Sir Muir Gray. This marked an important shift into scalable health education, with a growing focus on prevention, behaviour change and measurable learner outcomes.
2022
Scaling Accredited Education
The company continued to scale its specialist education model, with RHS qualifications becoming a major part of the business. This demonstrated that Learning with Experts’ digital classroom model could successfully deliver rigorous accredited learning and strong learner outcomes at scale. During this period, Justin Cooke also joined the board, bringing extensive experience across digital, education, media, investment, and scale-up businesses, including leadership roles with FutureLearn, POSSIBLE, and UNICEF UK.
2023
NHS Partnerships and Impact Evidence
Learning with Experts formalised its partnership with Professor Sir Muir Gray and expanded its work with multiple NHS trusts, marking the company’s evolution into an impact-led education business. Learners reported a 20% uplift in health outcomes, confirming the value of expert-led digital classrooms in healthcare. 2024
2024
Global Leadership in Online Horticulture
Learning with Experts became the largest online horticulture course provider in the world. Students consistently achieved pass rates above 80% in their Ofqual-regulated RHS Level 2 exams, showing that high-quality digital learning could match and often outperform traditional in-person provision.
2025
Investment, AI Innovation and Mayo Clinic Partnership
Learning with Experts raised its largest investment round to date, securing £3.5m to support the next stage of growth. The company won its second Innovate UK grant, focused on transforming pre and postnatal care through digital learning, live delivery, and AI-powered sentiment analysis, while also exploring community-based AI learning through a careful test-and-learn approach. During this period, Mayo Clinic became a partner, strengthening LWE’s healthcare strategy and international credibility, and LWE took a share in healthcare partner Polyatrics, with Elspeth joining the board alongside Alan Naismith. The company also welcomed Noa Dekel-Smith from Meta and Publicis as Head of Marketing, bringing deep brand, digital, and growth expertise to the business.
2026
Rapid Expansion, Recognition and Next-Generation Learning
Learning with Experts entered a new phase of growth, appointing David Rae as CFO/COO and Professor Sir Muir Gray as Chief Wellbeing Officer, while welcoming James Eden back to the board as Chairman in 2026 to support the company’s next stage of development. During this period, LWE became accredited by and fellows of The Learning and Performance Institute, won Best Lifelong or Flexible Learning Solution at the ETIH Innovation Awards, and saw founder Elspeth Briscoe recognised as Thought Leader of the Year and included in the Management Today Women in Leadership Power List. Remaining true to Elspeth’s belief that human expertise should remain at the heart of learning, LWE also continued exploring AI as a way to enhance expert-led education — from contextual broadcast-style storytelling to improving platform efficiency through agentic AI and reasoning models.
team
Meet Our Team
The people behind Learning with Experts.
Elspeth Briscoe
CEO / Founder
Elspeth founded Learning with Experts in 2015, bringing 25+ years of experience from leading roles in innovative tech companies such as eBay, Skype, and The Guardian. She also holds an OCGD Diploma in Landscape Design with Distinction.
Daniel Rosewarne
Chief Technology Officer
Daniel joined Elspeth as co-founder of Learning with Experts in 2015. Prior to this, he gained extensive experience as a CTO and digital development consultant, including more than four years at Oxfam.
David Rae
Chief Operating Officer
David specialises in scaling businesses, leading finance and operations across high-growth companies. With 25+ years’ experience, he combines commercial strategy, operational delivery and fundraising expertise to help ambitious organisations grow sustainably and unlock long-term value.
Lynne Thorne
Commercial Director
Lynne drives business growth, building strategic partnerships and leading commercial strategy. Prior to joining Learning with Experts, she was Director of Business Development at CMP Solutions, where she led national growth initiatives, major partnerships, and brand transformation programmes.
Steve Thompson
Creative Director
Steve brings over 25 years of experience in brand identity and customer experience design for digital products and services. He spent a decade as a Creative Director at Razorfish, one of the world’s leading digital agencies and part of Publicis Groupe.
Paul Crabtree
Head of Engineering
Experienced technologist with over 20 years of experience. Previously worked as a creative technologist at both Razorfish and LBi, showcasing a track record of accomplishment and innovation.
Rob Ludgate
Head of Production
Rob joined Learning with Experts in 2019, bringing a wealth of experience from his extensive career in broadcast and media production. His background includes over seven years at Channel 4 News.
Noa Dekel-Smith
Head of Marketing
Noa specialises in building brands that drive growth, with experience leading content and campaign strategy at companies including Meta and Publicis, and delivering award-winning work for global brands.
Mark Fishleigh
Director
Mark has been with Learning with Experts since 2018, serving as a Director. With over 20 years of experience in B2B tech, Mark brings a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise to his role.
Jack Rolstone-Smith
Partnerships
Jack joined Learning with Experts while completing his bachelor’s degree and has grown with the company ever since. Starting in Support before moving into Operations, he now manages relationships with clients, tutors, and students across the platform.
Matilda Rae
Customer Support
Matilda joined Learning with Experts in early 2026 with the goal of delivering excellent customer experiences, supporting students throughout their learning journey with a customer-first approach.
Numbers
Our Impact
The numbers behind our growth and reach.
Recognised for quality and impact
Our work is trusted by partners and recognised across education, technology, and digital learning.
Common Questions
Answers to the most common questions about working with Learning with Experts
Learning with Experts partners with organisations to design and deliver expert-led learning programmes that drive engagement, capability, and growth. We also offer a wide range of courses for individuals looking to build practical skills.
We work with organisations across sectors, with a particular focus on health and wellbeing and cultural organisations, including professional bodies, charities, and membership organisations. We also support individuals looking to learn from leading experts and develop real-world skills.
We combine expert-led learning with personalised feedback and community to drive real engagement. Our platform is fully customisable and branded, with end-to-end content creation to deliver high-quality, impactful learning experiences.
Yes. We work closely with organisations to design and deliver customised learning programmes, combining content creation, platform delivery, and marketing support to achieve specific business or audience goals.