After launching a low-budget school magazine and selling it in the playground every month, there was only one thing I wanted to do with my career. After studying English Literature at the University of Aberdeen, I applied to work as a writer on magazines.

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I learnt a huge amount working as a business journalist with William Reed Business Media and Haymarket Media Group in London and, in between, spent a year as a newspaper reporter in Istanbul. That was quite an experience.

 

My next step was to become editorial director of Brass Tacks, one of the pioneers of customer magazine publishing, working for clients across our offices in London, Bristol and Edinburgh. During this period, myself and the Edinburgh team also launched Fitba, the short-lived but much-loved (okay, in certain niches) Scottish football magazine.​

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Then in 2001, together with my friend and colleague Alan Lennon, we launched a publishing and content agency in Edinburgh called White Light Media. Leading the business for 18 years, we created outstanding work for clients such as Lloyds Banking Group, Royal Bank of Scotland, Standard Life, Tesco, Channel 4, Total, NHS Scotland and numerous universities. We employees around xx people over the years and xxxx (Alan left for pastures new in XXX). I also launched Hot Rum Cow which, in 2015, was voted the world’s best drinks publication at the Spirited Awards in New Orleans.​​​ So much happened in 18 years and, one day, I should write about it. But, in 2019, I handed White Light on to my long-serving design director Eric Campbell, who continues to steer the business today.

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