Graham spent his early career in the British diplomatic service, specializing in China and the European Union. He went on to establish and run Scotland’s leading think tank, the Scottish Council Foundation, founded in 1997. In 2001 he became founding Director of International Futures Forum, stepping down at the end of 2023. He remains closely connected with IFF, including work on special projects.
Graham’s professional interests include the practice (and funding) of system transition; governance; and developing people. He also takes a special interest in the arts, having spent some time in his youth as a professional cellist. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and a member of the Executive Arts Circle stewarding the intellectual legacy of Jim Ewing.