{{Short description|British businessman (born 1967)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}} '''Mark Thurston''' (born {{birth based on age as of date|56|2023|9|29|noage=yes}}<ref name=middleton />) is a British electrical engineer and businessman. He was chief executive of the High Speed 2 railway construction project from March 2017 to September 2023. He is currently chief executive at Anglian Water.
==Early life== Thurston and attended The Wallington High School for Boys in his senior school years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Distinguished Alumni |url=https://www.wcgs-sutton.co.uk/about/alumni |website=Wallington County Grammar School |access-date=30 September 2023 |archive-date=15 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230715143856/https://www.wcgs-sutton.co.uk/about/alumni |url-status=live }}</ref> He attended Loughborough University from 1999 to 2001, gaining an MSc in Engineering Management.<ref name="lough"/> In 2021, the University awarded him an honorary degree of Doctor of Technology.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Honorary Graduates and University Medallists {{!}} Graduation {{!}} Loughborough University |url=https://www.lboro.ac.uk/students/graduation/honorary-graduates/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=www.lboro.ac.uk}}</ref>
==Career== Thurston began his career as an apprentice with Transport for London.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Robinson |first1=Dan |title=Meet the man who will be responsible for bringing HS2 to Nottinghamshire |url=http://www.nottinghampost.com/mark-thurston-will-be-man-responsible-for-bringing-hs2-to-nottinghamshire/story-30088824-detail/story.html |work=Nottingham Post |date=26 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170126140451/http://www.nottinghampost.com/mark-thurston-will-be-man-responsible-for-bringing-hs2-to-nottinghamshire/story-30088824-detail/story.html |archive-date=26 January 2017}}</ref> He later worked for Metronet. In June 2008, he joined CH2M as head of structures, bridges and highways, working on both Crossrail and London 2012.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mark Thurston appointed as European Managing Director for CH2M HILL |url=https://www.ch2m.com/node/15021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518191253/https://www.ch2m.com/node/15021 |archive-date=18 May 2017 |date=23 October 2014}}</ref><ref name="lough">{{cite web |title=Chief Executive of HS2 joins Loughborough University as a Visiting Professor |url=https://www.lboro.ac.uk/news-events/news/2021/february/chief-executive-of-hs2-joins-loughborough/ |website=Loughborough University |access-date=30 September 2023 |date=2 February 2021 |archive-date=14 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814041408/https://www.lboro.ac.uk/news-events/news/2021/february/chief-executive-of-hs2-joins-loughborough/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
On 26 January 2017, Thurston was appointed chief executive of High Speed 2.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Simpson |first1=Jack |title=Who is Mark Thurston? |url=https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/news/who-is-mark-thurston-30-01-2017/ |access-date=30 September 2023 |work=Construction News |date=30 January 2017 |archive-date=30 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930071904/https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/news/who-is-mark-thurston-30-01-2017/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=HS2 announces new CEO |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hs2-announces-new-ceo |website=UK Government |access-date=28 September 2023 |date=26 January 2017 |archive-date=29 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929162421/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hs2-announces-new-ceo |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2022–2023, he was the highest paid of all UK public sector employees.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Topham |first1=Gwyn |title=Are HS2 bosses really ‘kids with the golden credit card’? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/sep/26/are-hs2-bosses-really-kids-with-the-golden-credit-card |work=The Guardian |date=26 September 2023 |access-date=28 September 2023 |archive-date=28 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928140934/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/sep/26/are-hs2-bosses-really-kids-with-the-golden-credit-card |url-status=live }}</ref> Thurston went on to become the longest serving chief executive for High Speed 2, and stayed on until 2023 when he announced his resignation and then left the project in September of that year.<ref name=middleton>{{cite news |last1=Middleton |first1=Joe |title=HS2 chief executive resigns from delayed and scaled-back rail project |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jul/12/hs2-chief-executive-resigns-from-delayed-and-scaled-back-rail-project |access-date=28 September 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=12 July 2023 |archive-date=27 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927164728/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jul/12/hs2-chief-executive-resigns-from-delayed-and-scaled-back-rail-project |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Lancefield |first1=Neil |title=HS2 boss resigns amid speculation of further cuts |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/hs2-boss-resigns-amid-speculation-of-further-cuts-b1110273.html |work=Evening Standard |date=29 September 2023 |access-date=29 September 2023 |archive-date=30 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930032547/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/hs2-boss-resigns-amid-speculation-of-further-cuts-b1110273.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Thurston was appointed as visiting professor of Complex Project and Programme Leadership at his alma mater, Loughborough University, in 2021.<ref name="lough"/>
==See also== * Sir David Higgins, Chairman of HS2 * High-speed rail in the United Kingdom
==References== {{reflist}} *{{cite web |last=Collingridge |first=John |date=26 July 2020 |title=HS2's Mark Thurston: my £660,000 pay is a fact of life |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/transport/article/hs2s-mark-thurston-my-660-000-pay-is-a-fact-of-life-5hq9sb80d |work=The Sunday Times |access-date=9 September 2024}}
==External links== * [https://www.gov.uk/government/people/mark-thurston Biography]
{{S-start}} {{S-bus}} {{S-bef|before= Simon Kirby }} {{S-ttl|title= Chief Executive of High Speed 2|years= March 2017 - September 2023}} {{S-aft|after= Jon Thompson (Interim Executive Chairman)}} {{S-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thurston, Mark}} Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:People educated at Wallington County Grammar School Category:Alumni of Loughborough University Category:British chief executives in rail transport Category:High Speed 2 Category:People from Coulsdon Category:People from the London Borough of Sutton