I live in Dalkeith near Edinburgh in Scotland. I am a civil servant with the Scottish Government, currently responsible for trade policy, food and drink, but previously involved in environmental quality, estates management, Criminal Justice and liquor licensing, Sustainable Development and in constitutional law and devolution. I was involved in running the 1997 referendum and managed the Scotland Act 1998 as it went through the Westminster Parliament.
I was born in Aberdeen, Scotland and grew up on a farm next to the River Spey, between Fochabers and Rothes. I went to school in Keith, then studied Natural Sciences at Churchill College, Cambridge (MA and PhD) before joining the Scottish Office.