CRITICAL THINKING
Dr Mark Plaice
General CV  ·  Careers Show Edition  ·  March 2026

Dr Mark Plaice

Seeing the patterns others miss.
Rendering complexity legible.

PhD (KCL)  |  MBA (Seoul)  |  MSc Counselling (Salford — In Progress)
FHEA  |  Bilingual — English–Korean
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PhD MBA Bilingual English–Korean £45,000+ Research Funding 250+ Students Led FHEA Fellow 15+ International Conferences REF 3-Star Therapist-in-Training AI Adoption Practitioner PhD MBA Bilingual English–Korean £45,000+ Research Funding 250+ Students Led FHEA Fellow 15+ International Conferences REF 3-Star Therapist-in-Training AI Adoption Practitioner
Who I Am

I help people make sense of
complexity.

I understand how adults learn, how organisations work, how cultures differ, and how evidence gets turned into action. I hold a PhD from King's College London, an MBA from Yonsei University Seoul, and a PG Diploma in Academic Practice. I am bilingual in English and Korean and bring deep expertise in East Asian culture, media, and business. This background is increasingly relevant to organisations operating in or engaging with that part of the world.

I ground practice in evidence, and take an exploratory, evidence-based approach. I listen to people, evaluate the data and reflect. That flexibility is the strength I bring to everything I do.

20+
Years Experience
£45K
Research Funding Won
250+
Students Led
15+
Int'l Conferences
What I Offer: Transferable Skills

Durable value compounds with career breadth rather than depth alone. Here is what that looks like in practice.

01
Learning & Development
Programme design from HE to corporate. One-to-one coaching. Facilitated workshops. Adult learning theory applied at every scale from Samsung executives to 250-student cohorts.
Curriculum DesignCoachingInclusive DesignAI Pedagogy
02
Research & Analysis
PhD-level qualitative research. Ethnographic fieldwork. Discourse analysis. Synthesising complex multi-source evidence into clear, actionable recommendations for academic and policy audiences alike.
Qualitative MethodsEvidence SynthesisREF 3-Star
03
Cultural Intelligence
Fluent Korean. A decade in South Korea. Deep expertise in East Asian culture, media, and business. The person you bring in when you need someone who genuinely understands both sides of the conversation.
Bilingual EN/KOKorea SpecialistIntercultural
Transferable Skills

CRITICAL
THINKING.
EMPATHY.

Learning & Development
  • Curriculum & training programme design (HE and corporate)
  • Coaching, mentoring, one-to-one feedback delivery
  • Facilitated workshops & large-group lecture delivery
  • Adult learning principles; competency-based assessment
  • ADHD/ND student coaching programmes designed & delivered
Research & Analysis
  • PhD-level qualitative research design and execution
  • Interview, ethnographic, discourse, and textual analysis
  • Synthesising multi-source data into clear recommendations
  • Evidence-based reporting for academic & policy audiences
  • Psychometric administration (GAD-7, PHQ-9)
Leadership & Communication
  • Team leadership across HE, construction & language school
  • Financial management: P&L, PAYE, VAT (~£1M turnover)
  • Bilingual English–Korean — 14+ years as language of instruction
  • 15+ international conference presentations; invited keynotes
  • AI adoption practitioner — prompt design, ethical use, pedagogy
Career History

The Journey

2017–25
Lecturer in Korean Popular Cultures
University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), Preston
Led two core modules with 250+ student cohort. Designed three new modules from scratch. Korean Studies Subject Co-Lead (2024/25). Won £45,000+ in competitive research funding. REF 2021 contribution rated 3 stars.
£45K+ FundingREF 3-Star250+ StudentsFHEA Mentor
2016
Senior Teaching Fellow
SOAS, University of London
Convened core Level 7 MA module: Theoretical Issues in Media & Cultural Studies. Weekly lectures; VLE collaborative tools; individual essay tutorials for international postgraduate cohort.
2013–17
Graduate Teaching Assistant
King's College London, Film Studies
Seminars across four modules. Marked to tight deadlines with detailed feedback. Co-organised international symposia. Built a research profile that became a 3-star REF submission.
2012–13
Visiting Lecturer
Korean National University of the Arts (KNUA), Seoul
Designed and delivered two 16-week courses in Korean: Introduction to Film Theory and East Asian Action Film for degree and master's level students.
2005–07
Operations & Financial Manager
Dreamhouse Development Ltd, London
Full P&L responsibility for ~£1M-turnover construction company. Set up double-entry accounting; managed PAYE/CIS for 30+ staff; quarterly VAT returns; cash flow forecasting.
~£1M Turnover30+ Staff
1996–03
Samsung · KNTO · Investor Relations · EFL Author
Seoul, South Korea
Coached Samsung executives in Business English and cross-cultural negotiation. Designed intercultural training for KNTO. Translated investor relations materials for the Industrial Bank of Korea. Authored published EFL textbooks.
SamsungKNTOPublished AuthorIR Translation
Counselling Training

Crucial Soft Skills.

Currently completing an MSc in Counselling & Psychotherapy at the University of Salford (BACP accredited). 115 hours of fully supervised placement experience across three settings. DBS cleared. Student Member of BACP.

Colne Open Door Centre · 2025
Telephone Long-Term Counsellor
GADBipolarLate-Diagnosed Autism16+ Sessions
Family Welfare, Leigh · 2025
Person-Centred Counsellor
Complex GriefDepressionGAD-7 & PHQ-9Pre-Court Records
Oldham College · 2025
Student Mental Health Counsellor
Young People 16–17Risk AssessmentSafety PlansSafeguarding
Education & Qualifications
2023–present
MSc / PG Dip Counselling & Psychotherapy
University of Salford (BACP accredited)
2013–2019
PhD Film Studies
King's College London
Korea Foundation Fellowship · REF 3-Star contribution
2013–2017
PG Diploma Academic Practice in HE — Distinction
King's College London
1999–2002
MBA — International Business · GPA 3.42
Yonsei University, Seoul
2007–2008
MA Korean Studies — Merit
SOAS, University of London
1988–1991
BA (Hons) Humanities — 2:2
Greenwich University · FHEA
Selected Funding & Recognition
£17,400
Korea Foundation — Conference Funding8th Korean Screen Studies Conference, UCLan 2019. 50 scholars, 45 papers, film Q&As.
£14,000
Korea Foundation — Cultural ExchangeKorean Queer Art & Film for UK audiences, 2024–25. Artist visits, director Q&As.
€48,000
Korea Foundation — Graduate FellowshipDoctoral research fellowship, Goldsmiths / King's College London, 2010–2014.
£6,000
UCLan — Sabbatical FundingResearch semester in South Korea. Interview-based fieldwork on K-drama & Netflix.
3★
REF 2021 — Research ExcellenceContribution to Unit of Assessment 33 rated 3 stars by the Research Excellence Framework.
UCLan Gold Rose AwardShortlisted twice — Excellent Feedback and Equality, Inclusivity & Diversity.

Careers Show Edition · March 2026 · Full career record & references available on request

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