Born in Portadown, Northern Ireland, Simon was educated at Portadown College and left Northern Ireland in 2001 to attend the University of Abertay Dundee, where he obtained a BSc (Hons) in Business Computing. Following a number of IT related roles, Simon moved into lecturing at Dundee College in 2008, specialising in Computer Network Management and Cisco Administration.
In November 2010 Simon was promoted to the role of Curriculum Manager in Computing at Dundee College and has remained in Academic Management since, becoming Vice Principal Curriculum & Attainment in 2016 within the now merged Dundee & Angus College and more recently securing the role of Principal in August 2020.
Simon is involved in a number of national groups and boards including Chairing the Energy Skills Partnership (ESP) board and board membership roles within the Students Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) and previously WEA Scotland and Dundee Science Centre. Simon also Chairs the Data Lab Skills advisory board, SDS Digital Economy advisory board and ScotlandIS Digital Skills advisory board.