Skillsoft names Bernard Barbour as new technology chief

Skillsoft has appointed Bernard Barbour as Chief Technology and Product Officer, placing a former Indigo Agriculture and Cimpress executive in charge of technology and product strategy for its Percipio platform.

Barbour will lead product and engineering work related to the Skillsoft Percipio Platform. Skillsoft positions Percipio as a unified skills management system that links skills data with learning and workforce planning.

Barbour will report to Chief Executive Officer Ron Hovsepian.

Leadership remit

Skillsoft said Barbour would focus on the continued evolution of Percipio and on connecting skills, learning, and workforce capability with business needs. The company also highlighted Barbour's background in engineering, artificial intelligence, data, and product teams.

Barbour most recently served as Chief Technology Officer at Indigo Agriculture. Skillsoft said he led modernisation work there. It said the work improved core platforms and strengthened data operations.

Before Indigo Agriculture, Barbour spent more than 10 years at Cimpress. Skillsoft said he led a global platform team of more than 700 people. It said he oversaw content creation tools, design technologies, and personalisation systems used by millions of customers.

Product focus

Skillsoft said Barbour would bring experience in AI, cloud platforms, and enterprise software. The company described his approach as grounded in customer requirements and in simplifying complex technology environments.

Hovsepian framed the hire as part of the company's effort to address shifting workforce requirements and the growing use of AI in organisations.

"Bernie joins Skillsoft at a pivotal moment as organisations reimagine how they prepare their people for constant change," said Ron Hovsepian, Chief Executive Officer, Skillsoft. "He brings strong, hands-on experience building and applying AI at scale, turning customer needs into measurable outcomes. His leadership will help us accelerate innovation and deliver AI-powered capabilities that make it easier for organisations to build, adapt, and sustain workforce readiness."

Customer environment

Barbour said organisations faced pressure to move quickly while managing multiple systems and competing priorities.

"Customers are trying to move faster while navigating fragmented tools and growing complexity," said Barbour. "My focus is on listening closely, understanding what's getting in their way, and helping deliver solutions that make progress easier to achieve. Skillsoft has a strong foundation, and I'm excited to work with the team to build on it in ways that create real value for customers."

Skillsoft said it serves thousands of organisations globally. It said it supports a community of more than 105 million learners.