I was born in the heart of Burns Country and went to school at Ayr Academy (where I first became an enthusiast for Burns and spoke at my first Burns Supper). After that, I went up to Glasgow University which has an unparalleled reputation as a debating university, allowing me to learn a great deal about speaking in public (and winning the Observer Mace with Charles Kennedy MP and representing the UK on the E-SU Debating Tour of the US). It was here that I founded the World Student Debating Competition, now in its 26th year (Congratulations to Sydney University!)and the second largest student competition in the world.

My career took me to London to become a banker and from there to New York and back again, while allowing me to keep up my interest in speaking and debating.

It has been truly enjoyable speaking in person in many different countries to audiences ranging from six people to over a thousand, and to have had speeches shown on TV in Britain, the States, Australia and Canada.

I currently split my free time between charitable work and and professional after dinner speaking. In the first category, I am active in the English-Speaking Union (encouraging and training school and university students in speech and debate to promote the effective use of spoken English), in helping the University of Glasgow Development Campaign (in the UK and the USA) and I am proud to have served as President of the Burns Club of London (which stands as Number 1 on the Roll of the Robert Burns World Federation) for the 250th anniversary year.

Recent engagements have ranged from acting as Master of Ceremonies for a whole evening, to doing one speech - the Immortal Memory or The Lassies - to Addressing the Haggis. On evenings other than Burns Suppers I have toasted 'Scotland', 'St Andrew' or 'The Guests'. My favourite has to be the Immortal Memory as that gives the greatest scope to entertain, inform and touch and audience.

While most of my work is on Robert Burns or Scottish Themes, such as St Andrew's Night, Tartan Day or Whisky Tastings, I increasingly undertake general after dinner speaking throughout the year.