I was born on a small farm at Clough near Ballymena. I attended Ballymena Academy before moving to Belfast College of Business Studies and the University of Ulster. Here I completed my accountancy studies and qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant and then a Fellow of the Institute.

I worked in industry for several years before joining the Northern Ireland Development Agency, where I was involved in many International manufacturing projects. When the agency was absorbed into the civil service I left to set up a Management Consultancy specialising in Finance and Marketing. The company, now nearing its 30th anniversary, has had clients in the Far East, Middle East, Russia, East and Western Europe and North America. I have been involved in the start up of several businesses and in 2005 I founded CIGA Healthcare, a multi award winning family company, specialising in Rapid Test Diagnostics which has grown swiftly supplying most major UK multiples and the NHS in the UK. It has distribution in over 40 export countries.

I have been a member of the Conservative Party since 1997 and I'm currently a member of the Executive in Northern Ireland, Chairman of Business Relations in Northern Ireland and a member of the Conservatives and Unionist s Joint Committee.

I am married with two sons.