Mark is a seasoned British executive whose career is defined by a remarkable transition from a distinguished 20-year military career in the Royal Air Force to a prominent civilian life in corporate leadership and Private Equity. He is one of the UK's most successful mid-market, PE-backed Software as a Service (SaaS), Technology and Business Services Chairs with an exceptional track record of building and leading technology-enabled businesses and creating significant shareholder value.
01 Royal Air Force
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.
02 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 path 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.
04 Author, Advisor, Veteran Advocate
Mark co-authored the best-selling book, The AI Fix for Private Equity and The AI Fix Field Guide. 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 Books
The What and How of AI Adoption
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.
The AI Fix for Private Equity explained where AI can create value across the deal lifecycle. The AI Fix Field Guide is the follow-up: a practical guide to making that value real inside portfolio companies.
AI adoption does not fail because the models are weak. It fails because the business is not ready to absorb them. Processes are unclear. Ownership is diffuse. Data is fragmented. Governance lives in policy rather than workflow. Measurement tracks activity instead of outcomes.
This book is for CEOs, chairs, operating partners, transformation leaders, boards, and investors who need to move beyond AI theatre. It shows how to identify where AI can change an outcome, govern the work it performs, build the infrastructure it needs, fund the right initiatives, redesign human roles, and measure value the board can trust.
This is not another argument for becoming “AI-first.” It is a field guide for building the operating model that lets intelligence compound.
