Mark gained his doctorate from University of Strathclyde in 1993 and has held a series of research posts including Lecturer in Public Service Management within the Strathclyde Business School.   

In 2005 Mark took up a post to help establish the Improvement Service (IS), a public service improvement body dedicated to supporting organisational development, change and reform in Scottish Local Government and Community Planning Partnerships. In 2015 he was seconded to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to act as Strategic Adviser to the Board and the Chief Fire Officer in 2016, and was appointed to his current role and became a member of the Strategic Leadership Team.

Mark explains that:

Making ever greater use of the administrative data the SFRS holds and can access via its partners, is a key priority for SFRS. Using that data and the research it can support to gain further insight into the effective operation of the Service and into the needs of our communities is key to improving the policies and practices of the SFRS and in driving forward innovation. Therefore, to be able to work with ADR UK is not only a personal privilege but it will help support the SFRS in our endeavours. I also hope by actively supporting collaboration in this field across the public sector we can all make more effective and appropriate use of the wide array of data all public services hold.