Has over 30 years of experience as a senior executive holding positions at the President, Vice President and Company Director levels, focused primarily on international business development in the Middle East, Europe, Pacific Rim and the Americas in the meteorological, environmental, data acquisition and communications spheres. A former Fellow of the Insitute of Directors he is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, a chartered engineer and a European engineer.
He is a town councillor (curently mayor), former Penwith district councillor, treasurer of Harvey's Foundry Trust, treasurer of the Passmore Edwards Institute, treasurer of the Cornwall Archaeological Society and Chairman of the Hayle Harbour Advisory Committee.

Is a qualified Chartered Surveyor working primarily in the property management business. This involves limited company work, accounts, health & safety problems and analysis, supervising people and contracts, management of an office, working with other professionals and ensuring best possible value from them and the contracts. As a land manager has significant experience in other fields such as valuation, letting and selling of properties, compensation claims, planning matters with Cornwall Council and property maintenance. Also works with farmers and government organizations on environmental projects. Was formerly an Army officer. Has a strong belief in Hayle and is passionate about its revitalization.

Since 1997 has been Member of Parliament for West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. He has a MSc from Oxford University in Agricultural Economics. Fifteen years ago he led a previous attempt to bring the harbour into trust ownership. In parliament has held the following responsibilities: Shadow Fisheries Minister, 1997-2005; Shadow Disabilities Minister, 2000-2001; Shadow Rural Affairs Secretary, 2002-2005; PPS to Charles Kennedy, 2001-2003; Regional Affairs Select Committee, 2001-2005; Agriculture Select Committee, 1997-2000; Shadow Secretary for International Development, 2005-2006; Communities and Local Government Select Committee, 2008 -; Speaker's Conference, 2009 -.

Has practised as a barrister for many years, and is based in Cornwall’s only set of barristers' chambers, Godolphin Chambers, in Truro. Before being called to the Bar she worked as a journalist and is widely travelled. A Fulbright Scholar in 1986/87, her qualifications include MA (Oxon) English (open scholar at Christ Church 1982 to 1986), Dip Law (distinction, City University 1991) and MA in creative writing at University of Technology, Sydney (2002).

Awarded the Sweet and Maxwell prize for best all round student from the University of Westminster. She qualified in 1996 and specialised in Corporate and Regulatory Legal work becoming an Associate of Holborn Law Firm Tucker Turner Kingsley Wood in 1999. She moved In-House in 2000 working in the Legal Department of Ispat International (now Mittal Steel). She was the Group's Acting General Counsel from April to September 2001. Her work at Ispat spanned many jurisdictions including Kazakhstan, Indonesia, India, Mauritius, Germany, France, Ireland, USA, Trinidad, Bermuda, Caymen Islands and Mexico. She worked on the private purchase of national steel operations in Poland and Algeria. She has hands on experience of transactions of up to €160mil. She also has experience of international arbitration appeals and worked with Washington based law firms in relation to WTO law. She is widely travelled and has lived and worked in Japan. She now lives on the Hayle estuary in Lelant.