Mark Moreau: BA(Hons) Philosophy

Mark graduated in 2009. He is currently Product Manager, Business & Product Innovation Division, Emerald Group Publishing Ltd

What does your job involve?

As a Product Manager I am tasked with developing new digital products for the global higher education market. Currently I am working within a cross-functional team based in the US and UK to launch a collection of teaching materials for use on MBA courses. In the past, I have held the positions of Assistant Publisher, Development Editor and Publisher within the Publishing Division of Emerald. I was awarded a promotion to the Business & Product Innovation Division after 4 years of editorial management of book series and journals in education, sociology, management, marketing and ethics. Over this period, I was involved in the acquisition of several new journals as was as the launch of a new research journal entirely of my own design.

How did your course prepare you for your job?

Working for an academic publisher requires the ability to confidently network and collaborate with top Professors in universities across the world. Studying Philosophy at Liverpool gave me the ability to reason quickly and clearly, formulate coherent arguments and understand the complex theories of subject experts. Philosophy is the queen of all the sciences, so there is almost always an opportunity to relate the subject matter of the journals and books I publish back to my own studies! From a business point of view, studying logic at Liverpool gave me the ability to write persuasive business cases to secure investment from Emerald to develop my own commercial ideas.

What are your top tips for students wanting to work in your field?

I would encourage all current students to make the most of every opportunity which is available to them. From unpaid volunteer work to taking part in student societies or departmental committees. Employers increasingly value the breadth and depth of a graduate's skill base rather than necessarily an exact match in the subject you are studying and your intended profession. My BA. Philosophy prepared me excellently for employment in a industry undergoing rapid change with a strong set of transferable skills.

What was your best experience of studying at Liverpool?

Being Treasurer of the Student Liberal Democrat Society before resigning due to political differences was quite a memorable few months....But nothing beats the two summers I was employed as a Student Welfare Officer for the Laureate International Summer School. That was quite an experience. I now know as much about Mexican party games as I do about the philosophy of John Locke!