Alistair retired from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in January 2003. He now works with several private and public sector organisations on strategic business development and organisational issues, especially in the areas of innovation and sustainable development.

Prior to his retirement Alistair was acting director general of the DTI Innovation Group. This followed a number of senior appointments in DTI including responsibility for sustainable development, innovation, domestic and international science and technology policy, and promotion of the European Single Market. He began his Civil Service career in 1970 at the then Warren Spring Laboratory, where he was responsible for developing and applying a wide range of novel environmental measurement, modelling and abatement techniques, and in negotiating Europe’s first air quality standards.