Formerly Clerk and Chief Executive of the Scottish Parliament, Sir Paul Grice has an outstanding record in governance and leadership at a national level, including high level experience in academic research policy and university finance.
He was knighted in the New Year Honours List 2016 for services to the Scottish Parliament and voluntary services to higher education and the community in Scotland. He is also an honorary professor at the University of Stirling (Faculty of Social Sciences).
He held the position of Clerk and Chief Executive of the Scottish Parliament from its inception in 1999, leading the delivery of all services to the Parliament alongside acting as its principal adviser on procedural and constitutional matters. Having worked in governmental organisations both in London and Scotland, he has built a reputation as an outstanding leader. He was a senior member of the Constitution Group with responsibility for the referendum on establishing the Scottish Parliament and he went on to lead the division managing the Scotland Act which laid the foundation for the new constitutional framework.
Sir Paul has a deep understanding of higher education and its challenges. He served as a member of the University Court of Stirling from 2006-2013 – chairing the University’s Finance and Resources Committee from 2008-2012 – and as a member of the Economic and Social Research Council from 2009-2015. A fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, he is also a Policy Leader Fellow at the Centre for Science and Policy at the University of Cambridge. He is a board member of the James Hutton Institute and the Carnegie Trust for Universities, a Council member of the Institute for Fiscal Studies and a member of Court at the British University in Egypt. He is Vice Convener of Universities Scotland and champions the importance of excellent teaching, of research and innovation and widening participation.
Paul was appointed to Court on 1 October 2019.
Register of interests:
Business interests - Nil
Company directorships - Nil
Trusteeships
- Board member, James Hutton Institute
- Board member, Carnegie Trust for Universities
- Court member, British University in Egypt
- Council member, Institute for Fiscal Studies
Membership of organisations, public bodies etc - Nil
Other declarable interests
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
- Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences
