When I joined the SLT at PLOR, Mark immediately stood out as unlike any Finance manager I had worked with.  He understood the needs of the refinery, he was visible, warm and always had a joke or two up his sleeve.  He was dedicated to his team, to fairness and doing a great job. He was a stickly for the rules and was well respected by everyone who worked with him.  He supported me joining the team, helping, guiding me.  Like everyone who has had the pleasure of working with Mark, I was shocked and saddened to hear of his death.  My heart goes out to his family as they come to terms with dealng with the massive hole Mark’s passing has created in their life.  Mark was very much a family man as those who worked closley with him saw at first hand.   Mark will be sorely missed.   …

Mark was one of my best friends in Prax, we had surprising amounts in common and had fun together. He was a clever man and more subtle than he chose people to think. He had lots of interesting characteristics not often found together, I think they put him together at the Peckham Woolworths pick-and-mix. I never saw him run round the park in front of his house at 6am (thank goodness!) but I did spend many happy hours watching him manipulate pivot tables like the champion he was. There is a lot of talk in these messages about Mark’s wonderful sense of humour. I think it’s important to record that he was not the messiah… but that his terrible, dad-joke sense of humour was very similar to our terrible, dad-joke sense of humour. He spoke so lovingly of his family and their journey through the vicessitudes vississitudes struggles of life and the arcades of Lincoln. I’m so sorry for Lynn, Lawrence and Megan’s loss. I will never forget his last words to me: “Camembert? It’s a bit runny….” …

I got to know Mark in the period after the Prax purchase of the refinery.  Mark was everything that people say of him; witty, thoughtful, knowledgeable, insightful and with an obvious passion for his family and life.  I fell into a habit of meeting him at 8am, in his office, before the inevitable pressures of the day and really looked forward our discussions, certain that he would both challenge and support, coach and guide, and always with a smile on his face. My thoughts are with Mark’s family at this difficult time, and I hope they find some solace in how liked and respected Mark was.   Duncan …

I had the very real pleasure of working with “Uncle Mark” on the project to incorporate the Lindsey Oil Refinery’s treasury and cash management functions into the Prax estate a couple of years ago whilst we were in lockdown. This was a high profile project with some reasonably tight timelines, a degree of complexity and with many of our colleagues from our bank, TOTAL and Prax, working remotely, Mark played an incredible role in making sure that all of our people felt part of the vision and shared in the goals. We pride ourselves on building relationships with our customers, but this project stands out for me as being one of the most enjoyable I have worked on across many years in banking, and a huge reason for this is due to the sense of humour, self-depreciating nature and all-round personality that Mark brought to proceedings. Simply put, all of us looked forward to our Friday afternoon Zoom meetings with Mark and his team, he always had a one-liner to leave us with, and signalled the start of everyone’s weekend at a time when he may have been the only one soldiering into the office! These were strange times …

Like everyone at PLOR and the wider Prax Group, I was shocked and saddened to hear about Mark’s passing.  Having read quite a few of the entries, it is clear what kind of person Mark was; dedicated, capable, caring and well equipped with an array of “Dad jokes”!  This very much aligns with my memories of Mark and the glint in his eye when he saw an opportunity to inject levity into a situation.  People often talk about how stressful and work-centred their days are, but people like Mark can inspire and encourage enthusiasm to achieve the challenges ahead of us.  We simply call this “Leadership”. My thoughts are clearly with Mark’s family at this incredibly difficult time, but one would hope that his wife and children will take some solace in the years ahead reading these messages about a loved one that was clearly also loved by his work family. A gentleman scholar who will be sorely missed.   …

I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of our colleague Mark, who I worked close with for 10 years or more. He was not just a coworker, but a mentor and a friend who made an indelible impact on my career and life. His dedication, hard work, and positive attitude were truly inspiring. His ability to teach and guide with patience and wisdom was incomparable. I am grateful for the knowledge and skills he shared, which have shaped me into the professional I am today. From sharing a chuckle at his bad jokes to benefiting from their exceptional leadership, every moment spent with them was a moment to remember. As a hardworking and effective leader, he will continue to influence my approach to work and life. Their memory will forever serve as a reminder of the kind of person I aspire to be – someone who gives generously, works diligently, and uplifts those around them with positivity. During this difficult time, please know that my thoughts are with you and your loved ones. You will be greatly missed.     …

On behalf of TotalEnergies and more specifically the team of Total UK (Watford), we wish to express our deepest regret and sincerest condolences. We all remember Mark’s professionalism and commitment. Mark was an exceptional colleague and a wonderful, nice person, always willing to help and caring. We will miss you Mark ! …

It’s still hard to believe that we lost a truly exceptional, inspirational and motivational leader, colleague and friend. Forever missed and loved. Rest in peace.  …

Mark was an inspirational leader, a born teacher and a genuinely nice person to work with. Mark set high standards for his team, but would never expect of others what we has not willing to do himself. Mark led from the front in word and deed, but he was also truly concerned for his team as human beings, he was quick to praise, always added a thank you and just as quick to say sorry. Mark’s love and adoration for his family was evident in his many anecdotes about Mrs Belton and his  children, which he heard of and saw in many photos and videos. My prayers for God’s compassion go with you. Personally Mark taught me all I know of refining and he will be greatly missed. Psalm 73:26 ESV My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.   …

Mark was a great colleague and friend. After I left LOR, we remained in touch, united by our friendship and our love for Rugby Union. He supported London Irish, while I supported their Derby rivals, Harlequins. We would exchange limericks, exalting our team’s triumphs and pouring scorn on the other’s. It was such fun. I therefore wish to send him one last set of lines: There was a fine fellow called Mark Who worked hard, but enjoyed a lark! He has left us too soon Our loss, Heaven’s boon, But today our world is more dark.   My love and condolences to Lyn, and his family Geoffrey   …