Speakers

Mark Smith has always been interested in the natural world, having all manner of pets through  childhood, and was keen to work with animals in some shape or form. He studied biology at Portsmouth University, graduating in 1997, and went on to teach science in a secondary school for a year. Mark decided to go back to University for an MSc, and chose to study Environmental Sciences at the UEA in Norwich, specialising in Ecosystems with a dissertation on Introduced Freshwater species. Following this, he did a variety of voluntary work, including some time with the Environment Agency, assisting with fisheries surveys in East Anglia.

In early 2000, he started working at Focus, when it had Petworld, moving into management within a year. This took him away from the pet side but he really wanted to get back to this area. He then changed paths and went to Pets at Home management, loving the company ethos and culture. After three years in store, he became Field Pet Manager, covering the southern region and then the west. After five years as FPM, last year he was promoted to Pet and Reptile Operations Manager, based in the Support Centre.