Author, entrepreneur, music enthusiast
Mark Allen
Author
Mark Allen is an author, journalist and publisher. Educated at Bryanston School, Dorset, he graduated in Social Studies at Durham University before starting a career in journalism. He was a reporter on the Sheffield Star, moving three years later to the Daily Express in Manchester, first as an investigative reporter and then as a news and features sub-editor. In 1974 he became the launch editor of Reed Business Information’s Community Care, followed three years later as editor of Nursing Mirror. In 1983 he won the Professional Publishers Association’s Editor of the Year award at the same time as Nursing Mirror was adjudged the Business Magazine of the Year and won the Campaign of the Year accolade. After a stint as Publisher for RBI, Mark moved to Thomson to take up a similar position in a newly-formed medical division which he headed. Less than 18 months later he did a management buy-out with two medical journals and launched his own company.
ENTREPRENEUR
The Mark Allen Group, publishes more than 100 brands and, in a normal pre-Covid year, organises around 250 exhibitions, events and awards every year. The company is involved in 14 main sectors. These are: healthcare, education, social care, dentistry, manufacturing, engineering, business communications, aviation, the automotive industry, transport, entertainment, human resources, leisure and music.
The company has been consistently listed in the Sunday Times Fast Track as one of the fastest growing mid-cap companies, with a turnover of £51 million, an EBITDA of £8.5 million and net profits of £6.8 million. He employs 425 staff in five different locations.
INTERESTS
Mark Allen has a wide change of interests. He is passionate about music, in particular jazz and classical, and plays the tenor saxophone to a modest standard. He enjoys cricket and rugby and either swims or exercises nearly every day. He loves nothing better than exploring nature on his constant walks. He has completed many major treks, including the Pennine Way and the Coast to Coast and has run the marathon six times. He is married with four children and seven grandchildren.
