Facing Risks on All Fronts, Pearson Boss Battles to Raise Grades

Pearson boss John Fallon faces a daunting task to arrest the decline of the world's biggest education publisher as it battles growing political and economic strife.

Fallon has endured a rough ride since he took over in 2013, with a string of profit warnings marking his tenure, in an abrupt end to the steady growth enjoyed by his predecessor Marjorie Scardino during her 16 years in charge.

He is heading a company facing struggles on many fronts. In the United States - its biggest market - it has been hit by a political row that has hampered sales of textbooks, and by school-leavers opting for employment over higher education.