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Centre for Professional and Business English

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

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Meet the Team

alisonw.jpgMs Alison Ridley



Training Consultant
BA (Hons), RSA/UCLES DELTA, PgD Applied Linguistics

Alison Ridley is a trainer with over 20 years' experience in teaching, teacher training and educational management.  Between 1995 and 2007 she worked fulltime at the Centre for Professional and Business English (CPBE), most recently as Programme Director.

Alison has designed and delivered courses for many Hong Kong corporations and government departments such as the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the ICAC, Dupont, the Housing Department, CLP, Chase Manhattan Bank and Dragonair.

At CPBE, she succeeded in gaining Cambridge examination centre approval and subsequently set up a suite of Cambridge Business English Certificate courses. 

Her special interests lie in written communication and the impact of writing styles on corporate culture.

richard_white_resize.jpgMr Richard McGeough



Language Training Specialist
MA, RSA Cambridge DTEFLA

Richard has over fifteen years' experience in English language teaching and teacher training. He has extensive experience designing, delivering and coordinating ESL programs for adult learners and is currently part of the team that oversees SPEED's Business English training for undergraduate students. He also works with professionals from a wide variety of working backgrounds, helping them to develop and refine the language skills they need in order to communicate effectively at work. He takes a particular interest in the field of language testing.

ruth_white_resize.jpgMs Ruth Benny



Training Consultant
RSA Cambridge CTEFLA, PG Dip (TEFLA), LCTCL, MA

Ruth Benny has over fifteen years' business experience, the vast majority being in training and adult education in Hong Kong.  She spent six years with a major international banking institution working with executives in the Asia Pacific region. She was involved in the company's transformation into a 'learning organisation', particularly its adoption of e-learning and methods of learning other than traditional classroom training.

She has also worked with clients in the fields of hospitality, telecoms and insurance as well as government bodies and non-profit organisations.

Ruth has been working with CPBE since 1996 designing and delivering courses for professionals and teachers (benchmarking) as well as assessing.