Two Sidney alumni recognised in King’s New Year Honours 2026

Sidney Sussex College is pleased to share that alumni Daniel Levy (1982, Land Economy) and Mark Rawlinson (1976, History/Law) have been recognised in the 2026 King’s New Year Honours for their significant contributions to public life.

Daniel Levy CBE

Daniel Levy has been appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to charity and the community in Tottenham.
Reflecting on the honour, he said:

'I am humbled to receive a CBE by His Majesty The King for services to charity and the community in Tottenham. This honour means a great deal to me, not least because it recognises the extraordinary efforts of the many people who have worked tirelessly alongside me over the past quarter of a century to make a genuine difference in north London.'

Daniel Levy CBE

As Executive Chairman of Tottenham Hotspur from 2001 to 2025, Daniel oversaw the Club’s transformation into a global sporting institution. During his tenure, the Club secured consistent top-flight success, including 11 consecutive top-six finishes in the Premier League, seven Champions League campaigns, and victory in the 2025 UEFA Europa League Final.

Off the pitch, Daniel led the delivery of two landmark infrastructure projects: the award-winning 62,850-capacity Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Club’s state-of-the-art Training Centre in Enfield. These developments set new global benchmarks in design, sustainability, and versatility, significantly boosting employment, local regeneration, and long-term community benefit.

Daniel was instrumental in establishing Tottenham’s acclaimed social impact programmes in education, employment, health, and social inclusion. He championed partnerships with local institutions including the London Academy of Excellence Tottenham (LAET) and Sarabande, an art foundation set up by designer Alexander McQueen. His efforts have been widely credited with transforming opportunities for young people in the borough.

His contributions have also been recognised with the Freedom of the City of London (2025) and the CEO of the Year award at the Football Business Awards (2017).

Mark Rawlinson OBE

Mark Rawlinson has been appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the justice system.

Reflecting on the honour, he said:

'The law has always been important to me – first as an undergraduate learning from the great John Thornely and then as a corporate lawyer at Freshfields. So the opportunity to give something back at the Ministry of Justice, at the tail end of my career, has been special, and being honoured for ‘public service’ makes it doubly so.'

Mark Rawlinson OBE

Mark recently concluded an eight-year tenure as Lead Non-Executive Director at the Ministry of Justice, where he served under seven Lord Chancellors and three Permanent Secretaries, helping to steer the Department through periods of major policy and operational change.

A distinguished corporate lawyer, Mark spent nearly 40 years in the City of London. After graduating from Sidney, he joined Freshfields, becoming partner in 1990 and working on numerous landmark transactions, including advising the BP board following the Macondo disaster and helping structure the $100bn AB InBev/SAB Miller merger, the largest ever in the London market at the time. He was also a key figure in the consortium that sought to purchase Manchester United from the Glazer family.
In 2016, he transitioned to investment banking, becoming Chairman of UK Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley, where he advised on high-profile transactions such as Unilever’s defence against Kraft Heinz’s unsolicited bid.

Since retiring from the City in 2021, Mark has continued to play a prominent role in public service and sport. He was recently appointed Chair of the Rugby Players Association, the representative body for professional rugby players across England.

The College warmly congratulates Daniel and Mark on these richly deserved honours and thanks them for their remarkable contributions to national life and the public good.