15 Facts About Mark Lowcock

Sir Mark Andrew Lowcock was born on 25 July 1962 and served as the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator between 2017 and 2021.

Mark Lowcock is Chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of London.

Mark Lowcock has been elected President of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy with effect from June 2025.

Mark Lowcock is a visiting professor in practice at the Department of International Development at the London School of Economics.

Mark Lowcock attended Culford School in Suffolk before attending Oxford University, where he graduated with a degree in economics and history.

Mark Lowcock was later awarded a Master's degree in economics from Birkbeck College, University of London, before moving to Boston to study economics and business as a graduate fellow.

Mark Lowcock is a qualified accountant and a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.

Mark Lowcock was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Department for International Development on 9 June 2011.

Mark Lowcock acted as the central focal point for governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental relief activities.

Mark Lowcock has been a frequent media commentator on humanitarian issues.

Mark Lowcock has written opinion articles for the Washington Post, the Financial Times, the Telegraph, the Times, the Guardian, CNN and others.

Mark Lowcock wrote about his time at the UN in a book, Relief Chief: A Manifesto for Saving Lives in Dire Times, published by the Center for Global Development on 17 May 2022.

In January 2022 Mark Lowcock was appointed to chair a Public Inquiry into the Sheffield street tree dispute.

In 2011, Mark Lowcock was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath.

Mark Lowcock is married to Julia Watson and has three children.