A Foundation of Leadership
Mark had a distinguished twenty-year career in the Royal Air Force, joining at age 16. He rose to the rank of Wing Commander and was awarded the Sword of Merit for outstanding leadership. His service culminated in a significant command role as the Military General Manager of the London Air Traffic Control Centre. For his professional accomplishments, he was appointed a Member of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II.
Transition to Corporate Life
After his military career, Mark made a strategic transition to the corporate world. He earned an MBA from The Open University and an MA in Defence Studies from King's College London, with additional studies at Harvard Business School. This was a deliberate pathway to bridge the professional divide between military and corporate leadership. He held senior roles at FTSE International Services company Serco Group plc, where he spent eight years, Costain plc as MD Natural Resources Division and was also the CEO of Speedy Hire plc.
A Career in Private Equity
Mark began his private equity journey in 2015 at Lyceum Capital as an Operating Partner. Since 2018, he has become a prolific Private Equity Executive- and Non-Executive Chair. He has overseen no less than 12 private equity investment journeys, with a combined Enterprise Value Growth of more than £1.3Bn. His career is defined by the ability to translate high-stakes operational command into strategic commercial leadership.
Author, Advisor, and Veteran Advocate
Mark co-authored the best-selling book, The AI Fix for Private Equity. Mark also provides advisory, consulting, and coaching services to Boards and investors. In addition, he is a strong supporter of the veteran community, having recruited or worked with hundreds of veterans he continues to support numerous military charities and foundations.
My New Book
System-level AI adoption is the defining lever for value creation in private equity-backed businesses.
From pre-deal diligence, where AI can reveal hidden inefficiencies and competitive gaps, through the critical first 100 days, where AI priorities must be hardwired into operating plans, and into the broader transformation journey where AI underpins pricing, customer engagement, and operational excellence and finally, at exit preparation, a company’s AI maturity has become an increasingly important signal of future-proof value.
