Martin Fairbairn is a chartered accountant who has spent most of his career working in further and higher education.
After five years as an audit manager with Deloitte, he moved into further education as Director of Finance at Stevenson College, Edinburgh, where he successfully established the college’s finance systems and oversaw significant estates and outreach developments.
From 2000 until earlier this year, he held several senior roles at Scotland’s national further and higher education funding body, the Scottish Funding Council, latterly as Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive.
Over his career he has developed particular expertise in strategic development, public sector governance, complex financial management and addressing risk.