Mark Blackwell

Background

About Mark Blackwell

I am an accomplished Project Director and Programme Manager with over 25 years’ experience in physical regeneration projects, business change programmes and delivering customer-focussed improvements. I grew my interest and passion in driving transformative change nearly 20 years ago when I led a £2m regeneration programme in one of London’s most deprived boroughs. Helping communities, places and businesses thrive is what I do. My expertise in waterways and particularly, moorings management and development, has been gained from working in a number of senior commercial, operational and customer-focussed roles at the Canal & River Trust (formerly British Waterways), as well as running my own consultancy business. I’m now using this experience to provide solutions to landowners, operators and local authorities by providing waterside activation, driving growth in use and delivering sustainable income streams. Skilled in project delivery, change management, stakeholder engagement and delivering new commercial revenues. Career highlights include: • Evaluated the Environment Agency’s mooring development options and presented a number of viable business cases to drive new commercial income across the Thames, Anglian and Medway regions. • Directed team of internal staff and external contractors to ensure successful delivery of several new marinas with a moorings value of £2.5m. • Led a multi-workstream change programme of CRTs discreet £6m p.a. commercial mooring business which grew income by 30%(£1.5m) over 3 years and introduced more efficient business processes. • Acted as Principle Project Manager in securing the future of the Bow Back Rivers in East London by co-writing and delivering the Olympic Legacy Waterways Framework and Action Plan. Established and implemented the business case and delivered engagement strategy working in partnership with LLDC. • Being part of the team working for British Waterways, which, prior to the London 2012 Olympic Games, successfully attracted £60m of investment into the restoration of the Bow Back Rivers. If you'd like to get in touch, DM me on LinkedIn or email me at mark.blackwell@waterspaceliving.co.uk