Iain joined Newcastle University as Head of Estate Planning and Development in January 2016. In this role he has been responsible for the major capital developments of the University estate. He was then appointed Director of Estates and Facilities in February 2019.

Having undertaken a degree at Newcastle University Iain embarked on a career with British Coal at various mines throughout the North East.

In 1994 Iain moved into the HE sector at the University of Sunderland, firstly in the faculties before moving into the Estates department in 2004, taking up the role of Head of Estate Services from 2010.

Iain had a key role in the strategic development of the estate and implementation of the estate capital investment programme at both institutions and has been instrumental in introducing numerous estate innovations and novel estate planning processes including the now widely accepted Soft Landings process and sustainable development.