Rifles Regional Colonel North

With effect 01 Aug 26, Colonel Mark Laverick will take over as the Rifles Regional Colonel North and President of The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, Light Infantry, and Rifles Regimental Association. The Minden Day Service and Lunch in Doncaster will be Colonel Mark's first engagement as Rifles Regional Colonel North and our Association President.

Colonel Mark Laverick

Assistant Head Reserves, Future Force Development, Army Capability

Rifles Regional Colonel North

Colonel Mark Laverick is a career Reservist, a proud Yorkshireman, and has family roots in the North-East.

Born and raised in Huddersfield, Mark’s Army career started in 1997 joining Northumbrian University Officer Training Corps whilst studying for a degree in Biochemistry at Newcastle University Medical School. In 2002, he commissioned into The Tyne-Tees Regiment whilst completing a Molecular Biology PhD at Sunderland University.

His early years of Regimental duty saw him deploy on operations in Iraq, and complete tours as Company Second-in-Command, and Operations Officer within 5^th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Relocating to the South-West for his civilian career, he commanded the Basic Training Company within Southampton UOTC and in 2011, he made the switch from Fusilier to Rifleman, commanding A Company, 6^th Battalion The Rifles.

From 2015-19, he held a number of national specialist staff appointments, promoting to Lieutenant Colonel in 2017, and attended the Advanced Command and Staff Course (Reserves). He was selected to command the 8^th Battalion The Rifles, leading them through the difficult COVID era of 2020-22.

Post-command, he returned to a specialist appointment and in 2025 selected for promotion onto the General Staff. He is currently an Assistant Head within the Army Capability Directorate, supporting 2035 future force design.

In civilian life, Mark works in the biomedical technology sector and lives in West Yorkshire where he shares parenting for two young children. He is a keen rock climber and skier, a biker and motorsports fanatic, and he loves spending time in the kitchen with the kids.