Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Languages
Timeline
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Mark Wilkins

Summary

Talented copywriter with a track record in delivering compelling copy across a wide range of clients, sectors and formats including websites, published articles, blogs, social media as well as rail franchise bids, business plans, business cases, and government policy

Highly successful as the lead writer on FirstGroup's winning rail franchise bids worth £20bn, establishing it as Britain's largest train company

Overview

19
19
years of professional experience

Work history

Transport lead

  • Wrote monthly summary reports to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, and Chancellor, George Osborne, tracking the progress of transport infrastructure programmes

Freelance Copywriter

08.2021 - Current
  • Drafted copy across channels including websites, published articles, blogs, social media (Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter)
  • Copywriting for various clients, sectors including retail, finance, tourism and transport

Copywriter

FirstGroup plc
03.2016 - Current
  • Drafting compelling copy across a wide range of clients, sectors and channels
  • Led the writing on FirstGroup's winning West Coast Partnership, South Western Railway and Great Western Railway bids that tripled First's rail market share to 33%
  • Wrote each bid's executive summary, transforming 1,000 pages into 20 compelling pages to sell First's proposals, winning the franchise each time
  • Created the bid narrative, synthesising the Government's franchise goals and First's strategy, refining it with the Board and delivering a winning proposition for each bid
  • Wrote monthly summary reports to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, and Chancellor, George Osborne, tracking the progress of transport infrastructure programmes
  • Authored transport policy briefings for senior MPs including the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Transport, ensuring Ministers and MPs were effectively briefed
  • Delivered policy papers in the Department for Business, winning most evidence-based policy paper of the year from the Secretary of State for Business, Lord Mandelson
  • Excellent academic qualifications with an MBA from the University of Oxford and a First Class degree from the University of Reading

Lead writer

HM Treasury
06.2015 - 02.2016
  • Led the writing on FirstGroup franchise bids including the winning West Coast Partnership and South Western bids, and the Great Western Railway Direct Award
  • Wrote each bid's executive summary, transforming 1,000 pages into 20 compelling pages to sell First's proposals, winning the franchise each time
  • Built and led a team of editors and writers, delivering high quality copy across FirstGroup's business
  • Created the bid narrative, synthesising the Government's franchise goals and First's strategy, refining it with the Board and delivering a winning proposition for each bid
  • Devised the house writing style and standards, and delivered training across the bid team, ensuring higher quality across our bids
  • Business plans and business cases
  • Wrote franchise business plans, including for South Western Railway and the West Coast Partnership, giving every employee and stakeholder a clear view of our franchise plans
  • Developed business cases for external funding, leading to major local investment such as the £26m modernisation of Island Line and the £4.3m upgrade of Gloucester station
  • Shadow Operator for High Speed 2
  • Wrote reports for the Government on the future of high-speed services on HS2 infrastructure, including the Strategic Market Report and the Passenger Proposition, delivering effective advice to the Government, / Cabinet Office - Infrastructure and Projects Authority

Managing Consultant

07.2013 - 05.2015

Deputy Director

House of Commons
01.2011 - 06.2013
  • Parliamentary Conservative Party research team), Authored transport policy briefings for senior MPs including the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Transport, ensuring Ministers and MPs were effectively briefed

Manager

Ernst & Young
01.2006 - 01.2011
  • In the Commercial Due Diligence team
  • Delivered policy papers in the Department for Business, winning most evidence-based policy paper of the year from the Secretary of State for Business, Lord Mandelson
  • Led strategy and commercial reviews and assessed acquisitions for clients, securing multiple client awards through insightful analysis

Associate

KPMG
10.2004 - 01.2006
  • In the Strategic and Commercial Intelligence team
  • Managed commercial reviews and assessed acquisitions for clients

Education

Master of Business Administration Pass -

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
2004

BA Hons - Politics and International Relations

University of Reading
1995

BBC Maestro Course Lee Child - Writing Popular Fiction - undefined

2023

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City University
2022

Writing for Business MEMBERSHIPS Chartered - undefined

City University, Institute of Editing and Proofreading
2017

Skills

  • Copywriting
  • Editing and proofreading
  • Unique and compelling content creation

Languages

English
Native
French
Intermediate
German
Intermediate
Italian
Elementary

Timeline

Freelance Copywriter

08.2021 - Current

Copywriter

FirstGroup plc
03.2016 - Current

Lead writer

HM Treasury
06.2015 - 02.2016

Managing Consultant

07.2013 - 05.2015

Deputy Director

House of Commons
01.2011 - 06.2013

Manager

Ernst & Young
01.2006 - 01.2011

Associate

KPMG
10.2004 - 01.2006

Transport lead

Master of Business Administration Pass -

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

BA Hons - Politics and International Relations

University of Reading

BBC Maestro Course Lee Child - Writing Popular Fiction - undefined

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City University

Writing for Business MEMBERSHIPS Chartered - undefined

City University, Institute of Editing and Proofreading

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