Mark Thurston
Biography
As the CEO of High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd, Mark has the privilege and ultimate responsibility for leading the company that has been charged with delivering a new high-speed railway that will connect the major cities of the UK.
Mark joined HS2 Ltd in March 2017; he has some 30 years’ experience including leadership roles in engineering, project and programme management and business operations. Having worked for client, consulting and delivery organisations, Mark has a successful track record across a mix of major organisations and investment programmes and worked on both the London 2012 Olympics and Crossrail. He was previously the European MD of engineering and projects company CH2M.
Mark started his career as a technician apprentice on the London Underground. He is a Visiting Professor at the Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction at UCL, an honorary fellow of the Association for Project Management and a fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers. In 2019 he received an honorary doctorate of technology at the University of East London and in 2021 the same honour from Loughborough University.
Previous roles in government
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Chief Executive Officer