British education company Pearson Plc. announced that it has appointed Harish Manwani, chief operating officer of consumer goods company Unilever Plc., as an independent non-executive director on its board, Mint reported. Manwani, who is also the chairman of Hindustan Unilever Ltd, is on the board of Whirlpool Corp.

Pearson chairman Glen Moreno said in a statement that Manwani “brings to Pearson a deep knowledge of emerging markets, an understanding of the rapidly growing middle class in those countries, and senior experience in a successful global organization”.