Saturday evening, 28 January 2012, Mark Mellor lost his battle against cancer. He passed away at the Royal Marsden Hospital in South Kensington, London. His family and close friends were given enough warning to be able to say their goodbyes.
Mark leaves behind his wife, Claire Walker and their three children, Toby (15), Robyn and Max (12).
Mark was managing director of Firefly. He joined the fledgling company after just nine months of trading and over the past 23 years has helped guide, shape and build the business. The highlights of his career were being a PR Week Consultancy of the year winner twice (once before Firefly, and once at Firefly). He has crafted numerous campaigns and worked with inventor Clive Sinclair, entrepreneur Richard Branson and business guru James Caan. He launched groundbreaking new businesses and media outlets such as lastminute.com, BBC news online and which.co.uk. Mark was also very involved in the PRCA, running the inter-agency benchmarking survey for many years as part of the Best Practice Committee.
Mark was a great businessman, an excellent PR operator and dedicated dad. He will be missed by many. His family and colleagues have had over two years to prepare for this day; despite the practical arrangements being in place as a result, it still comes as a shock.
Mark had not been actively involved in the frontlines of the business recently. All of his responsibilities were re-assigned a while ago, so the company’s operations are all running smoothly and Firefly is thriving.
There will be a funeral service in Ealing, West London. More details will be posted on this page in due course. Anyone is invited. Please drop us a lineand we will forward details as they become available, or please come back to this page in a short while for more information. We also welcome your personal messages, if you wish to make them here, in the comments box.
Mark Mellor 16.9.1962 – 28.1.2012
Biography, as written by Mark:
From an upbringing spanning the North of England to South London, over to the New York suburbs, then back to the home counties, variety, adaptability and weird pronunciations were always going to be stamped on my character. Despite studying maths and sciences, by my late teens I’d become awestruck by the media, advertising and creative services, and through a little luck secured a job as marketing trainee in a fast-track British tech company responsible for video special effects enthralling the MTV generation.
My PR appetite took me into the agency world where clients ranged from whisky, wallpaper and Dyno-Rod, to technology companies and the inimitable but irritable Sir Clive Sinclair in his post-C5 era.
After two top 10 agencies I switched to a small specialist start-up Firefly, where we were lucky enough to ride the crest of a hi-tech and internet wave.
Over the past 27 years I’ve managed to work alongside many inspiring people across a huge variety of sectors, contributing to the launches and evolution of some of the best known brands in the business and consumer worlds. Where else would your day job span the launch of stem cell banking services for Sir Richard Branson to the promotion of new investments and philanthropy of Dragons’ Den entrepreneur James Caan?
I’ve always had a deep-rooted competitive spirit that suits the agency world and can honestly say I’ve never experienced routine. Marriage and parenthood balances life tremendously, bringing variety and insight into a whole new generation and interests. Home is now one permanent experiment in gadgets and new services.
My thoughts are with you, Claire, and Toby, Robyn and Max.
Natalie
Jon_wayth
Dear Claire,
Very sad and shocked to hear this news. Together you and Mark have inspired so many. I hope you can find some solace in knowing how much positive influence Mark has had and continues to have on so many Fireflies as these comments pay tribute.
Jon x
http://www.clare.cam.ac.uk/Fellows-and-Staff-Directory/sj309/ Stephen Jolly
I was deeply saddened when I read of Mark’s untimely death. My heartfelt sympathes to you, Claire, and your family.
Rowan Andrews
I am so sorry to hear this sad news and, although you knew it would happen at some point it must still be a shock and obviously a great sadness for you, Claire and your family. My thoughts are with you all and if you need anything, anything I can do, please let me know. Best wishes to you and your family.
Rowan
x
Camilla Rigby
Reading
the news on PR Week my immediately reaction was “oh no”. So sad to
hear the news and my thoughts are with you and your family, Claire.
I was
also fortunate enough to spend my formative years in PR at Firefly; I can still
put together a mean coverage board with extremely neat edges! My abiding memory
of Mark was at the 2002 Christmas party. 80′s theme and Mark (who I was a still
rather scared of!) was there in head to toe denim, rocking a rather fetching
bandana a la Axel Rose. It certainly broke the ice and I was able to realise
that even though he was super important, he was also bloody good fun.
Far too young to go and unfortunately I won’t be
able to attend next week, but will very much be thinking of you all. Camilla x (was Maddern when @ Firefly)
Brendamcgann
Seeing that lovely photo of Mark brings me right back to those New York suburbs in Westchester where our 2 families were neighbours/friends and colleagues in the mid 70s. Mark was always a bright, quiet child with a lot of depth,a below- the surface sense of humour and always a sparkle in the eye!
Our hearts broke for his parents when we heard of his illness 2 years ago but soared again when we learned of the courage and calibre of his response to this situation and that of his wife Claire….may this reality comfort you all now in his passing into eternity and his spirit and company sustain you as life continues with many joys ahead despite the crater in your hearts. …..
You are all in our hearts and prayers these days and beyond
Ar dheis De go raibh a h-anam dhilis
Cyril and Brenda McGann and family in Dublin
Alex Collins
Dearest Claire, Toby, Max and Robyn.
Our deepest sympathies to you all, Claire I know Mark was your rock and you his. Jan 28th will not only be remembered for Jordain’s earth day but now also for Mark’s end to suffering, a good man with passion who with your team developed a culture unmeasurable at FF.
Alex, Jordain, Saphron and Anayah!
Eva
Dear Claire,
I am very sorry to hear about the death of Mark – my thoughts are with you and your family. During our business relationship with FireFly I had the chance and pleasure to meet Mark twice at your Munich office.
Wish you all the best and a lot energy to stand these hard times now!
Eva
Kevin Duncan
Mark was a legend.
I have an image of him in the sun outside a wine bar on the Munster Road, looking dapper as ever in his shades, raising a glass of Rose and laughing uproariously.
He has gone far too early, but on the way he has influenced us all with his fantastic attitude to life.
RIP Mark.
Denis Doolan
Clarie, close family and Firely family
I have just had a wonderful trip down memory lane reading some of the comments below and thinking back to a crazy, intense, great time in London in the mid-1990s.
Mark was at the centre of all of it. In a work sense, we achieved a lot, but we knew how to party, and no better man. Like Mark and Phil, I am very proud to have known Mark and to have been part of Firefly for a while. It gave me a very solid start to my professional career, and some life lessons that have stood me well in the passage of time.
The two of you created a ‘work hard, play hard’ culture that brought out the best in everyone, and gave us many hours of enjoyment that are vaguely recalled. So much so that I do not have a single story to tell about Mark, more a warm feeling of respect, fun and high regard that I will always have for him. The one strong recollection I do have is his dry wit – whatever happened, good or bad, he always had a few words that caught the moment perfectly.
Mark’s passing is a real shock, but it is balanced by many fond memories. I am deeply saddened because, as a father of 3, I know how much more he had to give, but I am sure you will all carry his legacy proudly on. I will not be able to get there on Wednesday, but you are in my thoughts.
Denis Doolan
Deborah Nazareth
Claire
I am so sad to hear the news about Mark. I have very fond memories of Mark at Firefly and of the clients we worked on together. Together you were a great team and made Firefly a fantastic place to work. My thoughts and prayers are with you Toby, Robyn and Max.
Julian Goldsmith
I worked with Mark for a short time, early in our careers, at Biss Lancaster. I saw him now and again thereafter but followed his enormous success with pleasure. Mark has been one of the most decent and modest men the PR/Comms industry has ever produced. Reading the comments from those who worked with and for him, clearly he has touched and enriched the lives of many. This is a terrific legacy to leave behind and something wonderful for his family to know what a respected, liked, gifted and very successful person he was.
Yeeliml
Claire,
The shock and sadness among those who were lucky enough to have been part of the Firefly family is testament to what the two of you built. I still look back fondly at my time with you and am eternally grateful for the foundation you gave me. I hope that we can now support you as you supported us.
Prayers and thoughts are with you.
Yeelim
Elaine Mercer
Although it is a long time since I worked at Firefly, I have
happy memories and great respect for Mark’s work. I know how much he will be missed;
my thoughts and prayers are with you Claire and family, as well as friends and
colleagues.
Ardi Kolah
Mark was an enormously gifted public relations professional and created an agency of distinction. He was also a very modest person and I’m sad that his life was cut so short. My thoughts and prayers go his family and everyone at Firefly.
Mariannedownie
So sorry to hear about Mark’s death. His son Toby and our son Jamie were good friends at Aston House and enjoyed many good times together. I will remember Mark and Claire hosting many great children’s parties and Mark supporting the boys’ football on cold days in the park….
Fiona Hughes
As a Firefly who has returned to the fold, I have been in the fortunate position to have had Mark, and of course much more so Claire, in my life again more recently…
Because I am in almost daily contact with Claire, I have not written on this thread until now. But now, seeing almost 170 amazing comments, I feel I would really like to.Along with Amy Firth and Beck Hewitt, whom I have spotted commenting below, I was in “the class of 2000″ – a class who were lucky enough to join PR Week’s Agency of the Year, aka Firefly. During my grad trainee year at Firefly first time round, I sat opposite Mark for much of my year. Well, I say that but, more accurately – I had a desk opposite Mark! While I was nervously calling IT Week and Computer Reseller News or sticking cuttings onto paper from my desk, most of the day; Mark was out and about – winning pitches, schmoozing contacts and leading meetings. Mark was a formidable presence, but also a warm and kind one. I remember that at least once every week, he would check in and ask me how things were going…I also remember once seeing Claire and Mark drive in together and share a kiss in the car park before coming into the office and going into their professional individual personas. It was a very lovely moment, and made me think of what marriage would be like. I have such fondness in my memories of Mark in 2000, and am proud to be a Firefly again now. Looking forward to doing what I can to support you, Claire.Fiona Hughes.
Radhikawoodruff
What a terrible shock, many condolences to Claire and the children. I have only just heard the terrible news about Mark and as one of the first ‘Hot House’ members I felt compelled to put pen to blog. Working at Firefly was a wonderful experience and without Mark’s drive and ambition for the project it would never have been what it was. He was a real inspiration. I have some wonderful memories of life in the Coda Centre including many wonderful evenings at Ciao’s I will always remember Mark dashing out of a pitch to be at Claire’s side for the birth of the twins! The babies arrived and we got the client!
All my thoughts and love are with you, Radhika
Flora Hamilton
It was so sad to read the news of Mark’s passing last month. I enjoyed his tremendous support and great humour at the PRCA during my time there. My heart-felt condolences to Claire and the children and to his close colleagues and friends.
Mark Westaby
Have only just heard the news about Mark and I’m deeply saddened. We worked together for quite a few years and didn’t always see eye-to-eye, which isn’t unusual when two strong personalities come together. But despite our differences, whenever we saw each other it was always on the best of terms and we had a laugh about everything. Mark had a hugely successful career and I hope I was able to play at least a small part in helping him to achieve that. These must be very difficult times for Mark’s family and my feelings are for them at this moment.
Gill Hawkins
Mark was totally professional. Utterly inspirational. And a thoroughly decent human being.
My thoughts, love and prayers are with you, Claire, and the family.
Gill Hawkins
Melanie Oxford
Claire, I am so sorry to hear that Mark has passed away. It has been so many years since I worked at Firefly but my memories of Mark are extremely fond. He was a warm, genuine guy who was a real ‘people person’ which is why everyone loved working with him. Wishing you and the kids every strength at this difficult time, Love Mel
Kit-kat75
I am so sorry to hear the sad news about Mark. I previously worked at Firef’y's Scotland office for a number of years and reported in to Mark. He was always a very supportive boss and a good mentor and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the skills I learnt during my time at Firefly.
I would like to send all my best wishes to Claire and the children at this difficult time. My thoughts are with you all.
Best wishes,
Katy Stollery (nee Windsor)
Charmaine Clarke
Claire, So sorry to hear such sad news. I have such fond memories of my time at Firefly and enjoyed working with amazing, fun, fantastic, kind people. My heart goes out to you, Toby, Robyn and Max at this sad time. Charmaine x
Lauren Shilling
A quiet ten minutes at work and I wanted to catch up on the progress of Firefly….working out of the country at the moment I’ve not seen any of the industry news in the past few months. I’m truly saddened to hear about Mark, he was such a wonderful person. Echoing the sentiments of many others here, he certainly played a part in my professional grounding…and a fellow ‘proofing’ enthusiast, you don’t find many of us! My thoughts are with you and the children Claire, I hope you’re all managing to find some peace as time goes on. Much love, Lauren.
Jack and Judy Ellis
We are far, far away in Florida but were stunned to see this news when we tried to email Mark. We are devastated by this news and send our heart-felt condolences to his family. He was a truly special person.
Saturday evening, 28 January 2012, Mark Mellor lost his battle against cancer. He passed away at the Royal Marsden Hospital in South Kensington, London. His family and close friends were given enough warning to be able to say their goodbyes.
Mark leaves behind his wife, Claire Walker and their three children, Toby (15), Robyn and Max (12).
Mark was managing director of Firefly. He joined the fledgling company after just nine months of trading and over the past 23 years has helped guide, shape and build the business. The highlights of his career were being a PR Week Consultancy of the year winner twice (once before Firefly, and once at Firefly). He has crafted numerous campaigns and worked with inventor Clive Sinclair, entrepreneur Richard Branson and business guru James Caan. He launched groundbreaking new businesses and media outlets such as lastminute.com, BBC news online and which.co.uk. Mark was also very involved in the PRCA, running the inter-agency benchmarking survey for many years as part of the Best Practice Committee.
Mark was a great businessman, an excellent PR operator and dedicated dad. He will be missed by many. His family and colleagues have had over two years to prepare for this day; despite the practical arrangements being in place as a result, it still comes as a shock.
Mark had not been actively involved in the frontlines of the business recently. All of his responsibilities were re-assigned a while ago, so the company’s operations are all running smoothly and Firefly is thriving.
There will be a funeral service in Ealing, West London. More details will be posted on this page in due course. Anyone is invited. Please drop us a line and we will forward details as they become available, or please come back to this page in a short while for more information. We also welcome your personal messages, if you wish to make them here, in the comments box.
Mark Mellor
16.9.1962 – 28.1.2012
Biography, as written by Mark:
From an upbringing spanning the North of England to South London, over to the New York suburbs, then back to the home counties, variety, adaptability and weird pronunciations were always going to be stamped on my character. Despite studying maths and sciences, by my late teens I’d become awestruck by the media, advertising and creative services, and through a little luck secured a job as marketing trainee in a fast-track British tech company responsible for video special effects enthralling the MTV generation.
My PR appetite took me into the agency world where clients ranged from whisky, wallpaper and Dyno-Rod, to technology companies and the inimitable but irritable Sir Clive Sinclair in his post-C5 era.
After two top 10 agencies I switched to a small specialist start-up Firefly, where we were lucky enough to ride the crest of a hi-tech and internet wave.
Over the past 27 years I’ve managed to work alongside many inspiring people across a huge variety of sectors, contributing to the launches and evolution of some of the best known brands in the business and consumer worlds. Where else would your day job span the launch of stem cell banking services for Sir Richard Branson to the promotion of new investments and philanthropy of Dragons’ Den entrepreneur James Caan?
I’ve always had a deep-rooted competitive spirit that suits the agency world and can honestly say I’ve never experienced routine. Marriage and parenthood balances life tremendously, bringing variety and insight into a whole new generation and interests. Home is now one permanent experiment in gadgets and new services.