Paul spent 40 years in the civil service, leaving in 2019. He held a number of director general posts in Scottish government from 2009 onwards, culminating in the role of chief executive of NHS Scotland and DG health and social care. During his civil service career, he served all of the main parties of government in both the UK and devolved administrations.
Paul now has a diverse portfolio covering academia and the public, private and third sectors. He is a Civil Service Commissioner, an honorary professor at the University of Glasgow, Scotland’s member of council for the Open University, and patron of Medics Against Violence. He is a senior faculty member at the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh), on the board of the Care Inspectorate, a lay advisor to the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland, and a senior advisor to public affairs firm Charlotte Street Partners.