Derek started his career as a student apprentice with BP Tanker Company gaining a HND in Marine Engineering. He worked in a variety roles within the oil and gas industry with John Brown Engineering, Marathon Oil UK, APG/Salamis JV, prior to joining Wood Group Engineering as Managing Director in Aberdeen in 1996.

In 1999, Derek transferred to Houston and assumed responsibility for Wood Group's Engineering and Production Facilities, businesses in North and South America. In his current role, Derek is still in Houston and is currently focusing on the international expansion of Wood Group's US-based Production Facilities businesses and its worldwide operations and maintenance consulting business.

Derek first became involved in the Global Enterprise Challenge in 2004. He has been a judge at most of the American GEC events since that time and attended the Global event as a team coach/mentor in London in February 2005.

Derek is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers; a member of the Energy Institute; a board director of the British American Business Council in Houston and a founder member of the Globalscot network. He was appointed OBE in the 2007 New Year's Honour's list.

Derek has been married to his wife Jean for 32 years. They have a married son Stuart and a daughter Heather who will be married in March 2009. His interests are watching most sports, particularly football and playing golf.