Mark Towill

“We know that our team’s everyday actions have a long-lasting effect below the surface, impacting ocean health, and ultimately, our climate. We work to minimize this impact and leverage our offshore sailing campaign as a platform to accelerate change through sporting excellence in sailing, ocean advocacy, and sustainable innovation.”

Mark Towill (Honolulu, HI) is CEO of 11th Hour Racing Team, the US offshore sailing outfit based out of Newport, RI, U.S., which in July 2023 won The Ocean Race 2022-23, the world’s longest and toughest team sporting event. A professional sailor for fifteen years, Mark has himself competed twice in The Ocean Race – billed the world’s longest and toughest team sporting event. He is the first [American] CEO to lead a US-flagged team to victory in the race’s 50-year history.

A mission-driven entrepreneur, Mark has extensive experience in building and leading high-performing teams, delivering value to stakeholders across multiple industries, raising capital, executing international marketing and communications campaigns, and managing crisis situations, all while being a champion for ocean health and sustainability.

Mark also drives 11th Hour Racing Team’s sustainability program, which monitors and measures everything that goes into the professional sports team across all operations, to minimize the team’s impact, while communicating the importance of innovative action for the health of the ocean. A passionate campaigner, he is a Board Member of Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii and The Marimed Foundation.

Mark received his MBA from Babson College in May 2023, and graduated from Brown University with a BA in Economics and a BA in Environmental Studies.

NATIONALITY:

USA

THE OCEAN RACE EXPERIENCE:

2014-15 Team Alvimedica

2017-18 Vestas 11th Hour Racing

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO CONNECT WITH THE OCEAN?

Kitesurfing

IF YOU WERE A MARINE ANIMAL WHAT WOULD YOU BE?

Sea Turtle – Honu in Hawaiian

SHARE A FUN FACT ABOUT YOU AND SAILING:

The first time I went sailing when I was a young child I hated the feeling of the boat heeling over and I cried like a baby!