The New Year Honours list 2024 recognises the achievements and services of people across the UK, from all walks of life. We are delighted to announce and congratulate the four members of the City, University of London community who have been recognised for their commitment to their industries.

Mark Austin CBE

Mark was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to the British economy.

A Corporate Partner at the global law firm Latham & Watkins, he specialises in capital markets. Previously, he spent over 20 years working with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. His equity work includes the IPOs of Pod Point, Aston Martin, Deliveroo, Pepco, Trainline and more.

He is a member of many prominent professional and advisory bodies, including the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce, the FCA’s Listing Authority Advisory Panel and the Primary Markets Group of the London Stock Exchange.

Mark advised Lord Hill on his UK Listing Review as published in March 2021, and was asked by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in October 2021 to be the independent chair of the UK Secondary Capital Raising Review, reporting to HM Treasury in July 2022.

He trained as a journalist at City, earning a PGDip in Newspaper Journalism in 1997.

Martin Machray MBE

Martin was named a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to healthcare.

Martin is currently the Executive Director of Performance for London. In his time at NHS England and NHS Improvement he has taken senior leadership roles for the capital including Joint Chief Nurse for London, Mental Health Transformation, Patient Safety and Patient Voice. He qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1989 having trained in County Durham. He has an NHS career spanning over thirty years with senior, board level experience in Providers, Commissioning and Arm’s Length Bodies locally, regionally, and nationally.

In 2011, he was awarded a Certificate of Higher Education from the Overseas Nursing and Return to Practice Programmes.

Heidy Spurrell BEM

Heidy was awarded a British Empire Medal for her services to sustainability in the food and beverage industry.

As CEO and Founder of Future Green Global (formerly Food Made Good HK), Heidy works in Hong Kong to help the food and drink industry on their sustainability journey and accelerate the pace of change in the territory.

She studied for an MSc in Food Policy, graduating in 2017.

Sir Ron Dennis CBE

Ron was awarded a knighthood for services to industry and to charity, recognising his impact through NGO and charity, Podium Analytics, working to create a world with more sport and less injury, and also his role as founding trustee and co-chairman at Tommy’s, the largest pregnancy and baby loss charity in the UK, where he has been a patron since 2016.

In 2000, Ron was awarded a CBE in recognition of his services to motorsport as former Chairman and Chief Executive of McLaren Technology Group, and former chairman of McLaren Automotive.

He received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) from City in 1997.