The Scotsman

Andrew Doolan's career was never conventional. Growing up in Kirkintilloch, he left school at 15 to join the fire service but secured employment a year later as an apprentice architect. He worked during the day and studied at night to gain the qualifications which allowed him to enter Leeds School of Architecture. Completion of his studies coincided with changes in the regulatory structures for architects - for the first time, members of the profession were allowed to be involved in property development, and he saw this as his route to the future.