During Mark’s editorship, Empire has enjoyed its best market share since its launch.
Now Bauer has started the search for a new editor as they prepare to take the brand to the next phase of its 25 year history.
Mark’s achievements have included recruiting Steven Spielberg as the guest editor of Empire's 20th birthday edition, inviting 32 film directors to put together its recent 300th issue and signing up J.J. Abrams for a special edition four months before he was announced as the director of the new Star Wars movie.
Mark – who leaves as Empire’s longest-serving editor at the end of August to become Editor of Time Out Dubai - has won the BSME’s prestigious Editor of the Year award five times during his editorship.
Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director of Bauer Media, said: “We will miss Mark’s tremendous energy, vigour and editorial brilliance which has been the driving force behind Empire becoming the biggest movie magazine brand in the world. Mark leaves with our very best wishes for the future. Now we’re looking forward to appointing a new editor to take Empire to the next level and into an exciting future.”
Mark said: "I started reading Empire when I was 14 years old, and it has been, without exaggeration, my dream come true to edit it. I would like to thank everyone on its incredible team, Bauer Media and everyone in the industry who has contributed to its huge success.
“Editing Empire has genuinely been both an honour and a privilege. I am very sad to leave but after eight years I felt it was time to hand over the reins to a new editor and to embark on a new personal challenge. I am very much looking forward to editing Time Out Dubai which is an amazing opportunity in an amazing part of the world."
Publishing Director David Bostock and Executive Content Director Jane Johnson will be spear-heading the recruitment for Mark’s successor.
While Mark’s successor is being appointed, Ian Nathan, Executive Editor of Empire will be acting editor leading the brand alongside Ian Freer, Assistant Editor, with the support of the Empire editorial team.
