Switching from travel tech to language learning wasn’t part of Simon Mizzi’s plan, but joining Preply was one of his career's most impactful moves. Now serving as Vice President of Product, Mizzi has led the company through a period of significant product transformation. Under his leadership, Preply has grown its B2C and B2B offerings—connecting millions of learners to more than 40,000 tutors worldwide. He played a central role in developing Preply’s product strategy, expanding growth and learning teams, and introducing AI in ways that deepen learning personalization. His impact is evident in the structural clarity of decision-making, better tutor-learner matching algorithms, and a high-performing product team culture built for scale. This phase focuses on creating a more human-centered product experience, where long-term relationships are considered the true measure of success.
After earning degrees from KEDGE Business School and Nottingham University Business School, with a focus on marketing and business, Mizzi began in project and marketing roles before joining Parkour Generations Asia as a Project Manager. Moving from a conversion-driven travel business to Preply’s mission of long-term learning marked a pivotal shift, requiring him to rethink how success is measured and how products are shaped. His major leap came in 2013 when he joined Agoda in Bangkok, where he held progressively senior positions over eight years, including Director of Product and Principal Product Manager for flights. He built the flights vertically from the ground up and led cross-functional teams across marketing, tech, and legal. These experiences honed his data fluency and user-first approach.
He sees product leadership as enabling the right conditions for innovation, staying close to the work, clarifying purpose, and making decisions anchored in user impact. As AI reshapes education, Mizzi’s focus remains steady on building meaningful products that outlast hype. His perspective is simple yet powerful: "Leadership isn’t about authority; it’s about enabling others to do their best work. The most effective product leaders create clarity, empower their teams, and keep the focus on what truly matters—building great products that solve real problems.”