Many years ago I went from a grammar school to Oxford where I won a Scholarship and took a Double First in English Literature. I then spent a decade in the advertising industry (mostly working for Ogilvy & Mather) and ran an international economics consultancy, before becoming CEO of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. I subsequently had a senior position in UK Higher Education.

Now semi-retired, I'm a trustee of various charities which benefit from some of my speaking engagements. I was also a trustee and Programme Chair of the Carnegie UK Trust for many years.