Mark Thurston
HS2
CEO
Mark Thurston
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.
The vision is for HS2 to be a catalyst for growth across Britain, become the backbone of Britain’s rail network and contribute to a ‘green’ transport system that helps reduce carbon. It will better connect the country’s major cities and economic hubs and help deliver a stronger, more balanced economy, better able to compete on the global stage.
HS2 Ltd began operations in January 2009. The company currently employs around 2000 people, with its headquarters in Birmingham, and there are now some 20,000 people working on the project across 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 Construction and Project Management at UCL and 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.
