Mark Allen is the chairman of the family-owned Mark Allen Group, which he founded in 1985 and which has grown to its current size of £50 million revenues and net profits of £7 million. The company now employs 434 people in four locations – Herne Hill, Dartford, Guildford and Wiltshire – and is involved in 12 different industry sectors. The group publishes 97 different magazines and organises more than 200 exhibitions, conferences, events and awards every year.

After graduating from Durham University, Mark was a journalist, first with the Sheffield Star and then the Daily Express. In 1974 he became the launch editor of Reed Business Information’s social work weekly, Community Care, which a couple of years ago his company acquired. After 10 years with Reed, latterly as a publisher, Mark worked briefly for Thomson in the same capacity before he effected a management buyout of two medical journals.

He is married with four children, one of whom, Ben, is employed as the CEO. Mark is a trustee of Richmond the American International University in London and he is an ambassador for the homeless charity, Alabare, and the children’s hospice, Julia’s House. He has a keen interest in the arts and music and plays (very badly) the tenor saxophone. A keen walker, Mark has a passion for cricket and rugby.