Based in Galway, Ireland, Mike Feerick is the CEO & Founder of Alison, one of the world’s largest free online learning platforms with 22 million members worldwide. He is a highly experienced web services entrepreneur involved as a Founder CEO/MD of multiple web-based services in finance, telecoms and online education and skills training.
He is an internationally recognised social entrepreneur receiving a Diploma Award from UNESCO for innovation in education (2010), an Ashoka Fellowship (2011), and a Guinness Social Fund Award (2012). In 2013, Alison was a WISE Award winner (Qatar Foundation). He was a World Economic Forum Social Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist 2016. Through his leadership, Alison was awarded the EU Civil Solidarity Award in Feb 2020 for its efforts in educating the world about COVID. Mike is also the founder/CEO (2009) of the Irish Government funded Ireland Reaching Out Diaspora Programme which seeks to unify all persons of Irish heritage worldwide online.
Mike holds degrees from the University of Limerick, Ireland, (BBS 89) and Harvard University (MBA 94). He is an avid sports fan enjoying soccer, and the Irish sport of Hurling, hiking, music and reading. He leads a number of other local and international community-focused initiatives.