In May 1999, he was appointed Head of the Scottish Government Education Department, and in March 2002 became Head of the Finance and Central Services Department. In 2003, he became Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government, succeeding Sir Muir Russell, who became Principal of the University of Glasgow.
In May 1999, he was appointed as the head of the Scottish Government's Education Department; in March 2002, he became the head of the Finance and Central Services Department. In 2003, he succeeded Sir Muir Russell as the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government, who then took on the role of Principal at the University of Glasgow.