 |
Bertil HultSwedish businessman
Country:
 Sweden |
Content:
Biography of Bertil Hult
Early Life and EducationBertil Hult was born in Stockholm in 1941. He often spoke about his struggle with dyslexia during his childhood. After completing incomplete secondary school, Hult left his studies and began working. He spent some time as a coffee maker and was a runner for a ship broker in London. It was during this time that Hult learned English and realized that immersion in a foreign culture was the best way to learn a language. He returned to Sweden and enrolled at Lund University, where he studied for only one year.
EF Education First
At the age of 23, Hult founded the language school 'EF Education First' in the basement of a campus in Lund. His project started as a language studio that provided the opportunity for students to study abroad, initially for Swedish students in England. Hult's personal struggle with dyslexia convinced him that immersion in a foreign culture was the best way to learn a language. In 1965, he established the educational center specializing in teaching English. In 1971, Hult moved from Sweden to Germany, and in 1977, the headquarters of 'EF Education First' were relocated to Lucerne, Switzerland. Hult served as the CEO of the center until 2002 and as its chairman until 2008. After Hult's retirement, his two sons, Philip and Alex, became co-chairmen of 'EF Education First', and his third son, Edward, became the CEO of 'EF Educational Tours'. Under Hult's leadership, the company grew into a huge corporation with billions in revenue and over 35,000 employees in 54 countries.
Accomplishments and Philanthropy
The 'EF Education First' corporation provides employment for over 35,000 people worldwide. Of these, 15,000 work full-time in offices, 4,000 are professors and teachers, and 16,000 are temporary instructors. The company collaborates with 450 schools and is connected to various educational programs in 54 different countries. The 'EF Education First' language schools have expanded not only abroad but also in the online space. The corporation is fully owned by Hult and his family. As of March 2013, Forbes estimated Bertil's net worth at $4.1 billion.
Hult is an experienced sailor, and his boat 'EF Education' won the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1998, skippered by Paul Cayard. Today, Hult sails on the boat 'Erica XII', known for being the honeymoon vessel for the Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and her husband, Prince Daniel. In 2006, Hult received the title of 'International Swede of the Year'. In 2012, he was awarded the 'Lucia Trade Award' by the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce for his contribution to promoting free trade between Sweden and the United States.
Apart from his main venture, 'EF Education First', Hult has been involved in charitable campaigns against drug addiction and has supported the development of programs for children with dyslexia. In 1993, he co-founded the independent apolitical organization 'Mentor Foundation', based in Geneva, which aims to research and prevent drug addiction. Hult is also responsible for organizing the 'Bertil Hult Prize', which is awarded annually to a Swedish school that has excelled in the fight against dyslexia. More recently, the Hult family, through the 'Global Classroom Foundation', founded by the 'EF Education First' corporation, has been involved in the restoration of secondary schools in troubled areas.
