The Secretary of State for Education has announced the appointment of Mark Prisk as LocatED’s Board Chair. Mark’s appointment will run for three years to 31 December 2026.

Mark brings a wealth of experience having worked across the real estate, housing and construction markets both in the UK and internationally. He is Strategic Adviser to Handley House, an international group of architects and designers, and is the Independent Chair of Saltaire Housing Ltd, overseeing the delivery of the UK Government’s Affordable Housing Guarantee Scheme.

Mark also chairs the Joint Group for Non-Standardised Construction Products which is seeking to improve the regulation in the construction sector. In additional to this, he mentors several PropTech start-up businesses and is a qualified executive coach.

He spent 18 years as the MP for Hertford & Stortford (2001-2019) and is a former Minister of State serving as both Business & Enterprise Minister and Housing & Local Growth Minister in the Coalition Government.

Mark replaces the outgoing chair, Michael Strong, who had led the LocatED Board since the organisation’s creation in 2017.

LocatED Chief Executive. Lara Newman said: “We’re delighted to have Mark join us and look forward to benefitting from his experience and knowledge and to working with him over the coming months and years.”

“I would also like to thank Michael for his work over the last seven years as the Board Chair of LocatED and wish him every success for the future.”

LocatED Board Chair Mark Prisk said: “I am delighted to be taking up the role at this pivotal time. Since its inception, LocatED has had an incredible, positive impact on the education estate, providing expert property advice to the DfE and educational bodies. As the organisation tackles important challenges such as decarbonising schools, I look forward to leading the board in this exciting time.”

Mark is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and hold a degree in Land Management from the University of Reading.

Further information on this appointment can be read at HM Government’s Public Appointments page.