Tony joined MCC Brussels with more than thirty years career experience spanning commercial, educational and think tank sectors in the United Kingdom. Immediately prior to joining MCC Brussels he was a teacher and manager in the UK Further Education sector. As curriculum manager for mathematics at MidKent College he led a team of 11 maths tutors to support students that struggled with the subject. Tony believes in an academically rigorous approach to education that takes the capabilities of young people seriously. His work in Brussels is informed by his extensive experience of promoting debate and free speech whilst playing a leading role at the UK based Academy of Ideas think tank from its inception in 2000 to early 2014. As part of this work Tony was the director of the Debating Matters competition, overseeing its growth to nearly 300 UK schools and its expansion to India through a partnership with the British Council. He is an associate fellow of the Academy of Ideas and holds a degree in philosophy, politics and economics from the University of Oxford. Tony’s aspiration for MCC Brussels is to be an intellectual home for curious, open minded people of all backgrounds and experiences who believe in the importance of free speech and rigorous debate.