Syd has over 20 years’ experience in non-executive roles and provides governance and oversight for the Group. He has been awarded the OBE for services to the oil and gas industry in Scotland.
In 1979 he was appointed Managing Director of the then-failing RGC, a company owned by British Steel. Within a year Syd restructured the company and returned it to profitability; it was sold to the Trafalgar House Group for £6,500,000. Syd joined Trafalgar House where he established Trafalgar House Offshore Services Limited, a new division covering oil and gas engineering, manufacturing, and construction interests. At its peak it recorded a turnover value of £450,000,000. Syd was Managing Director there until retiring in 1999.
After his retirement Syd worked with 3i Group in non-executive position on the boards of companies with which they held an interest. In December 2000 he joined the board of Sparrows Offshore Group International Ltd, a crane service company owned by 3i. The company continued to grow and acquired interests in the USA: following a successful trade sale Syd resigned in March 2003. In the same year he joined the board of Motherwell Bridge Holdings Ltd. Following a successful insolvent restructuring and the formation of MB Engineering Services Ltd, the company was sold in 2009.
In 2003 Syd joined the board of Pipeline Engineering Services Ltd as Non-Executive Chairman. He left six years later following a successful trade sale, the company having increased market share and profitability, and established new production facilities. As Non-Executive Chairman of International Tubular Services Ltd he grew the company, created new divisions, and increased international activity.