Following a 36 year career in Financial Services where he held a number of senior positions in Risk and regional management, Willie established his own business consultancy in 2013.

In addition to his business career, Willie has held a number of Non-Executive appointments in the public sector. He was appointed to the board of Skills Development Scotland in 2014 where he is Chair of the Finance, Operational and Performance Committee. In 2015, he was appointed to the board of Scottish Enterprise as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and subsequently appointed Deputy Chair of the board of management in 2018.

Over the past 20 years he has held a number of local and national roles supporting economic and skills development. In 2014 he was appointed Regional Chair of Ayrshire College. He is also a board member of Colleges Scotland where he is Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. He is a past president of Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry and received an honorary doctorate from the University of the West of Scotland in 2019.