Mark Cornell
British businessman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mark Ralph Delano Cornell (born 30 May 1966) is a British businessman, who was formerly the CEO of Krug Champagne,[1] Moët Hennessy USA,[2] Sotheby's Europe[3] and CEO of Ambassador Theatre Group.[4] He is the president & CEO of Cirque du Soleil.[5]
30 May 1966
Mark Cornell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mark Ralph Delano Cornell 30 May 1966 |
| Education | Winchester College, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, International Institute for Management Development (MBA) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Title | CEO, Cirque du Soleil |
| Spouse | Lucy Gordon Lennox |
| Children | 2 sons and 2 daughters |
Background
Mark Cornell was educated at Winchester College in Winchester, England[6] where he was awarded an entry scholarship to The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[7] After being commissoned, he served in the British Armed Forces with the Royal Green Jackets[8] from 1985 to 1992. During that time he completed three tours of duty in Northern Ireland.[9]
In 1996 Cornell received a post-graduate diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.[10] In 1999 he was awarded[11] a Masters of Business Administration(MBA) degree from International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland.[12]
Business career
In March 2013, Cornell became the managing director of Sotheby's for Europe, UK, MENA, and Russia.[13] In February 2016, he became the CEO of ATG Entertainment headquartered in Woking, England.[14][15] In September 2024, he was appointed as the non-executive chairman of Sapling Spirits.[16][17]
In November 2025, he was appointed the president and CEO of Cirque du Soleil.[18]
Government and charity work
Mark Cornell, as CEO of Ambassador Theatre Group, was appointed[19] a member of the Cultural Renewal Taskforce set up by the UK's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in May 2020. The taskforce, chaired by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden,[20] aim was helping the recreation and leisure sectors, including arts, culture, and sports, reopen safely after COVID-19 lockdowns.
Cornell also served from 2017 as a trustee of LAMDA,[21][22] a leading drama school in Hammersmith, London.
