News & Insights
Mark Brophy on Mercury’s Strategic Growth in the Life Sciences Sector
Mercury is the trusted MEP contractor of choice in Life Sciences in Europe, with a proven track record delivering for world-leading pharmaceutical clients. We have been at the leading edge of advanced engineering in the sector for more than 40 years and remain focused on expanding our presence and growing our market share across Europe.
Mark Brophy has joined the company as Managing Director for Life Sciences to lead that delivery. With over 30 years of sector-specific experience, Mark brings a rare level of insight shaped by leadership roles on complex pharmaceutical and biotechnology programmes across Europe.
After years working on both the delivery and client sides of major specialist projects, joining Mercury felt like a natural step for Mark. “I’ve only been at Mercury a short time, but I’ve encountered the company many times over the last 30 years. The principals and their dedication to excellence have always stood out. That passion to deliver, no matter what, is what brought me here,” he says. “They have a progressive nature and they’re willing to invest to make that progression happen. It was the right fit.”
Mercury is expanding its footprint in key regions like Ireland, the UK, Benelux, the Nordics and DACH. This expansion is part of our five-year Go Beyond strategy, which sets out plans to triple revenue in the sector by 2030. We are investing in specialist teams, scaling off-site manufacturing and building on decades of trusted delivery for world-leading pharmaceutical clients.
Mercury’s Go Beyond strategy sets a bold direction for growth in the Life Sciences sector. By investing in core delivery processes like OSM, continuing to build winning specialist teams and deepening the strong partnerships we already have in place, we’re confident we can deliver on that vision.
A Strategic Partner to Clients and Consultants
As our specialist portfolio continues to grow, we’re leveraging our expertise and local knowledge to execute highly specialised projects to our clients’ exact standards and specifications. We’ve built a reputation for certainty and quality of delivery, underpinned by a commitment to excellence – in our relationships, performance, and delivery.
Mercury makes the bold promise to clients and partners that we will always deliver, no matter how a project evolves. Speaking on the risks that often come with delivery in the sector, Mark points to change as a constant. During the design and development process, he says, “Change is often inevitable in these kinds of projects. What sets a strong team apart is their ability to manage that change. That’s what Mercury does.”
For clients delivering multimillion-euro programmes in highly regulated environments, that risk must be managed early and precisely. Mercury’s ability to navigate that complexity is a key reason we’ve built enduring partnerships with some of the world’s largest Life Sciences companies.
Clients trust us to keep delivery on track no matter how a project evolves.
“We bring in construction thinking at the very beginning so we’re not just reacting to design or procurement decisions. We’re influencing them We know what it takes to stay aligned with the client’s objectives across the full lifecycle,” says Mark. That level of agility is central to Mercury’s role as a strategic partner.
This approach is supported by long-term investment in Off-Site Manufacturing. Our new 25,000 square metre facility in Schönebeck represents an initial €25 million investment and will serve as the central modular hub for mainland Europe, producing prefabricated plant systems and high-spec assemblies for complex pharmaceutical and biotechnology projects. By enabling construction, commissioning, and validation phases to overlap, OSM helps reduce disruption on live campuses and allows projects to progress with greater predictability.
“Every client we work with is looking for certainty. We’ve structured our delivery to meet that need” says Mark. “Overlapping those key construction phases means we can improve the client’s speed to market and deliver with greater predictability”.
Building a Winning team with a Best-in-class safety Record
For Mark, the opportunity now is to build on Mercury’s legacy in the sector and continue strengthening our position as a world-class delivery partner. A key part of that is continuing to build a winning team and empowering the next generation.
With decades of experience behind him, Mark has seen the industry from just about every angle. He talks about the wave of talent coming through in more recent years; how many bright, intelligent young engineers are stepping into major roles on major projects. Diversity and inclusion, he says, have helped make that possible. “Now, no matter your creed, you can feel safe and protected at work.”
“We want to nurture strong teams, give people the tools and backing they need, and help them grow into leaders in their own right. That’s how we’ll continue to deliver every time”
Our unwavering commitment to quality and safety is central to how we continue building a winning team. As we grow our presence in this sector, where precision is non-negotiable, that commitment is anchored by our core value: Work Safe, Home Safe
Mark emphasises safety as inseparable from technical delivery:
These are facilities that support vital healthcare systems. When your work supports the production of life-saving medicine, safety cannot be a secondary concern. The same discipline and accountability that drives our technical delivery applies to our safety culture.
This mindset is embedded into every team we build. Safety is understood as a shared responsibility, and every system is designed to protect life.
Growing Mercury’s Legacy in the Life Sciences Sector
Life Sciences is the third leg of the Mercury brand. As we continue to develop the legacy of Mercury, our ambition is to further develop our presence in the market. Looking forward, the focus is on long-term growth across clean and black utilities, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and process infrastructure, supported by a multidisciplinary team with deep sector experience.
Growth will come from repeat business and strong delivery. Mercury is strengthening relationships with key clients, bringing certainty and world class performance to complex, high-stakes environments.
We’ll maintain repeat business and build new partnerships by delivering, as we always have on the fundamentals – certainty, quality, cost, and safety.
LIFE SCIENCES
Mercury is the trusted MEP contractor of choice in Life Sciences in Europe. We have been at the leading edge of advanced engineering in the Life Sciences sector for more than 40 years, carrying out large scale, complex projects across Europe. We partner with the world’s leading corporations, enabling them to deliver life changing advancements through our solutions.
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