Team Smith

Chairman

Biography of Smith's School of English Founder, Mark Smith

Born in 1957 in Germany to an English father and Scottish mother, Mark John Smith was bound for an adventurous, internationally flavored life from the very beginning. Moving shortly thereafter to Hong Kong and finally to Australia, Mark was a seasoned traveler by the tender age of six. After having served three years in the Australian Armed Forces, Mark moved on to pursue his post graduate studies in Business Management at Wollongong University, New South Wales, Australia.

His experiences in the international business world since then have proven that he is the epitome of what makes a successful entrepreneur in any country.

Before turning 30, Mark was operating at an executive level, having had extensive and varied management experience within the international nonferrous metal markets. Characterized by his analytical, disciplined nature, Mark is also a powerhouse of energy, traits which gave him the advantage he needed in playing a a leading role in moving his business forward. Such talents were noticed by others, and Mark was recruited into a Japanese trading house in 1989, where he went on to become a well known and respected figure in the international textile market, specifically industrial embroidery.

After 4 years running between the EC and Japan, Mark was appointed CEO of a Japanese-owned startup company called Elcom International. Based in Chicago, USA, the company was set up as an international marketing venture with one aim in mind: to take a little known Greek embroidery software company called Compucon and position it on the world stage.

Launched in 1991 in the midst of a competitive field dominated by well established industry giants, Elcom managed to beat the odds. By 1995, Compucon's product had been succcessfully launched in 18 countries, and Elcom's job was done. In March 2002, Compucon was listed on the Greek stock exchange.

In 1996, looking for new challenges, Mark decided to apply his talents to the ESL market in Japan. He is the founder and present Chairman of Smith's School of English and founder and CEO of SSE-Franchises. His vision remains still clear today: to wrestle ownership and control of the English teaching industry from corporate Japan and put it where it belongs, in the hands of the teacher. His past experiences of turning underdogs into champions shows that it can, and will, be done.

 

A Selection of Staff Beliefs

We have been taught to value the integrity and freedom that come from working together for our mutual benefit. To us, team means: T.E.A.M. (Together Everyone Achieves More).

We have come to understand that although coaching and support is always available from the company senior staff, it is far wiser for us to prepare at least two possible solutions before carrying up a problem. Our boss says, "To try is to grow."

You get used to Mark and his forward thinking. And you'll never believe the sense of pride we felt standing with a group of franchisees at our last party. There were so many of us, we couldn't fit into any of our usual party venues.