Mark Thomas - Chief Executive

Mark Thomas
Chief Executive

Since Mark established Word Association in 1991, he has grown it into a leading consultancy with more than 40 clients, a turnover in excess of half a million pounds and a strong team of quality, fully experienced staff. As Word Association's Chief Executive, Mark has won and managed a vast range of clients in both the public and private sectors, from large corporations to small businesses. His work has been recognised nationally through major industry awards.

"My experience as both a journalist and a client enables me to understand and balance the needs of both. As an in-house communications manager I employed some of the biggest PR consultancies around and I realised that I could offer a better service than I was getting. For more than 10 years now, Word Association has been doing just that!"

Career Summary: After gaining a BA(Hons) degree in English and Communication Studies from the University of Liverpool, Mark worked in a range of senior in-house communication roles, as well as being a newspaper journalist. A member of the Institute of Public Relations and British Association of Communicators in Business, he has also worked as a freelance writer, is a trained editor and a qualified photographer. In his spare time Mark enjoys playing tennis.

Communication changed my life when … I read "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck at ’O' level and it really moved me. A classic social novel, it tells the story of how starving Oklahomans were treated as they trekked across America in search of a new life. The book, for which Steinbeck won the Nobel prize for literature, shocked many middle class Americans who couldn't believe this was happening in their country. It helped pave the way for more Government support for the Oklahomans - literally not only helping to change lives, but save them. It also changed my life, getting me interested in English Literature and ultimately pursuing a career in journalism and writing before setting up Word Association.