- Mark Versallion
-
Cllr Mark Anthony Gaius Versallion is a British politician, businessman, and officer in the Royal Naval Reserve. He was Prospective Member of Parliament for Stretford and Urmston from 2007-09 and from 2009-11 was Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Forum of the Conservative Party.
Contents
Biography
Versallion was born and raised in Cornwall, England, establishing his first business in 1988, Global E, a music promotions and equipment hire company. In 1991 he moved to London, studied for a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Economics at the University of Westminster, then a Master’s degree in Politics at the University of Reading, where he was tutored by renowned philosophy professor John Cottingham,[1] and was elected Post-Graduate Chairman, and then a joint doctorate at Oxford University and Reading. Before going up to Oxford he was admitted to the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) and he also became a member of the Carlton Club during this time.[2]
Military career
In 1996 he joined the Royal Navy Reserve and holds the rank of Lieutenant.[3] Prior to passing out from Britannia Royal Naval College he served aboard the destroyer HMS Gloucester and after Dartmouth, aboard the frigate HMS Richmond before appointment to specialist roles. In 2005 he presented the unit history of HMS Wildfire to Prince Michael of Kent and also in 2005 won the coveted 'Best Shot' trophy for his marksmanship with the SA80 assault rifle.[4] In 2009 Versallion deployed on Operation Pearl, a counterpiracy operation off the Horn of Africa.[5] In 2010 he was awarded the VRSM medal.[6] He has attended the Joint Services Command and Staff College at Shrivenham and also NATO's primary training facility at Oberammergau, Germany.[7]
Business career
During the John Major government Versallion worked in the House of Commons as Parliamentary Aide to Cabinet Office minister Robert Hughes MP until May 1997. He then joined BAE Systems and later moved to Capgemini in high profile marketing roles. After working for Republican Senator Rod Grams in the 2000 U.S. elections he returned to the UK and founded the London marketing agency VML, and was its Managing Director for ten years, from 2001-11. In 2011, upon his election to Central Bedfordshire Council, he handed over operational control of the company and became Chairman so that he could dedicate himself to his role on Central Bedfordshire Council.[8] Versallion is also a non exec director of the NW London Hospitals Trust and Chairman of Audit.[9]
Political career
In 1996 he was elected Chairman of the Young Conservatives in Harrow and in 1998 was elected Association Deputy-Chairman. While working as political advisor to Harrow’s Conservative MP, Versallion was selected for the seat of Harrow on the Hill but lost it by five votes in a cliff-hanger election with three recounts in the 1998 local elections.[10] He was encouraged to fight on by his friend Lord Bethell, who was himself fighting for a seat in the European Parliament at that time.[11][12] Their common experiences with Harrow School, the Soviet bloc, and a personalised copy of Bethell’s last book Spies and Other Secrets, given to Versallion, were a source of intrigue for the Conservative Party selection process.[13][14][15][16]
In 2002 he was elected Councillor for the London Borough of Harrow.[17] He held a number of senior roles in his nine years at Harrow including Children and Young People, Performance and Finance, and three years as Chief Whip.[18] Versallion was Chairman of the Harrow Hill Trust Community Relations 2001–04, was a Director of the Harrow Fields Gardens Estate Company 2000–04, and was on the Board of Trustees of the Harrow Heritage Trust 2003-07.[19] From 2007-11 he was appointed to the Deputy Lord Lieutenant Committee and due to his military experience was also appointed as the London Borough's representative on the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association.
In 2007 Versallion was selected as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for the constituency of Stretford and Urmston,[20] a position he resigned from in October 2009.[21] In December 2009, five weeks after his stepping down as parliamentary candidate, it was announced that Versallion had become Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Forum of the Conservative Party.[22][23] His first official overseas engagement was in Macedonia in January 2010 representing the Conservative Party, with Lord Foulkes representing the Labour Party, in meetings with the country's Parliament and President Veljanovski.[24]
In 2011 he was elected to Central Bedfordshire Council for the ward of Heath and Reach, where he lives with his wife and three children.[25][26] He was made portfolio holder for Children's Services and Schools on 19 May and resigned from Harrow Council on 26 May.[27] He also resigned from his day job as director of a marketing company so that he could dedicate himself to his cabinet role on Central Bedfordshire Council.[28]
Books
Versallion is the author of:
- Conquest of Thoughts (1995) Powell Press, London (ISBN 0952744104).
- Furore Poeticus (1996) Powell Press, London.
References
- ^ http://markversallion.com/about
- ^ www.markversallion.com/about
- ^ London Gazette, 08Feb2000. M A Versallion promoted Acting Sub Lieutenant 09Dec1999.
- ^ www.markversallion.com/about
- ^ Lt Versallion Op Pearl. http://www.luton-dunstable.co.uk/News/Mark-and-Ian-go-on-parade-with-the-Navy-17062011.htm
- ^ www.markversallion.com/about
- ^ Royal Navy web site, retrieved 22Dec2008. http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operations-and-support/royal-naval-reserve/training-centres/hms-wildfire-northwood/
- ^ Versallion relinquishes operational control and becomes Board Chairman. http://www.versallion.com/About_Us/About_Us.htm
- ^ http://www.nwlh.nhs.uk/about_us/index.cfm/section/Who's_who/id/11/type/A/parent/10
- ^ 'Labour take control after Conservatives fail to take the Hill', May 1998. http://www.markversallion.com/about.
- ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/lord-bethell-402165.html.
- ^ http://www.markversallion.com/about.
- ^ Obituaries, The Times, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2426135.ece
- ^ Lord Bethell obituary, The Daily Telegraph, 11 Sep 2007, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1562736/Lord-Bethell.html
- ^ Harrow West Conservative Association, http://www.hwca.org.
- ^ http://www.markversallion.com/about
- ^ London Borough of Harrow, Council web site. http://harrow.gov.uk/www2/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=25&J=3
- ^ LGA Article, 17Jan2008. http://new.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=118777
- ^ Harrow Times newspaper, 17Nov2003. http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/433478.Vandals_smash_new_viewpoint/
- ^ Messenger Newspapers, 05Sep2007. http://archive.messengernewspapers.co.uk/2007/9/5/294891.html
- ^ http://conservativehome.blogs.com/goldlist/2009/10/mark-versallion-steps-down-as-ppc-for-stretford-and-urmston.html
- ^ Foreign Affairs Forum of the Conservative Party, retrieved 31Jan2010. http://www.fafcp.com
- ^ Mark Versallion.com, retrieved 22Dec2008. http://www.versallion.com/Mark/About/About.htm
- ^ Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia, retrieved 31Jan2010. http://www.sobranie.mk/en/default-en.asp?ItemID=4B5136191F61DF4FB40B64A528B31AAE
- ^ Central Bedfordshire Council, Versallion elected with 71% share of the vote. http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/modgov/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=5231
- ^ Leighton Buzzard Observer, http://www.leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk/news/local/elections_2011_dominant_tories_hold_central_beds_council_1_2659674
- ^ Harrow Observer, Versallion resigns from Harrow. http://www.harrowobserver.co.uk/west-london-news/local-harrow-news/2011/06/23/former-tory-colleagues-face-off-in-stanmore-park-by-election-116451-28929564/
- ^ Cllr Versallion stands down from Harrow Council, 08 Jun 11. http://www.harrow.gov.uk/www2/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=25
External links
Categories:- Living people
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