“My early career was spent in National Westminster Bank as it was then, starting in Hertford, when branches where you could go in and speak to people about every aspect of your banking and finance needs or phone your branch directly was still a thing! I initially joined straight from school after taking my A levels. At the time I was trying to decide what I wanted to do with my life after my poor eyesight stopped me doing my dream job which was to be a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy.
“After a number of years in the branch network, I started my foray into the world of ‘IT’. Still very much in the infancy of personal computers, even before the invention of Windows, I spent some time as a programmer and then data analyst providing support for the bank’s main internal Management Information data system.
“I then spent 12 years working in internal audit, security and fraud and group compliance delivering data analysis and reporting services for the business to manage their internal business process and governance requirements. It was during this time that we as a family moved to Scotland as most of the central functions for the then RBS Group were moving to the brand new HQ at Gogarburn near Edinburgh Airport. Fortunately the re-location costs were paid for by work! The official opening was performed by the Queen and due to our sponsorship of the Williams F1 team at the time we had Mark Webber driving a real F1 car around the Gogarburn campus.
“I then moved into the project and program management area initially within RBS before leaving there after 31 years. Not bad for employment that was only meant to last while I decided what I was going to do after leaving school. I totally changed track after so many years working for such a large organisation to work for a much smaller fintech company based in Glasgow that supplied data management and reconciliation software for client monies held by a range of financial services companies.
“After 4 years there, I joined one of the ‘Big4’ consultancy firms working on a range of client software and system implementation projects which included development and delivery of cyber security solutions for several clients including the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022. A similar role in one of the smaller consultancy firms followed before I joined Miconex in March 2026.
“When not working, most of my time is spent as a Scout Leader for a troop in Fife, serving as the Senior Steward for Rosyth Methodist Church or walking with Sue, my wife and our dog, Hector around many of the villages and woodlands in West Fife. Our annual skiing holiday in Europe (predominantly now in Austria) is normally the first holiday to get booked each year.
“Our children Ed and Nora shared their parents' love of the outdoors. Ed took it to the next level by becoming a ski instructor in Austria during the winter season where he has lived for the last 9 years. During the summer he works for a helicopter company who specialise in airlifts often repairing or building ski lifts and other facilities in high mountain or remote places across Europe.
“After spells working in Iceland, Islay and Edinburgh, Nora currently lives and works in Glasgow and can often be seen cheering on the Glasgow Clan ice hockey team when time off from the Solid Rock Cafe allows.”