Barry’s career is best described as the development and delivery of strategic change.

He joined the Authority in January 2019 from the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board where he led the development of the Future Strategy for Health and Social Care known as Moving Forward Together. This Vision shapes the future delivery of integrated person centred care by the Board's 37,000 staff and guides the allocation of it's £3 billion annual operating budget, to meet the changing needs of it's population up to and beyond 2025.

After graduating from Glasgow University, Barry started his career as an officer in the Royal Navy. His varied service ranged from operational action in the NATO led campaign in the Former Yugoslavia conflict, the “cold war” leading submarine operations in support of the UK strategic deterrent and intelligence gathering programmes to later specialising in the insertion and recovery of special forces.

In 2006, Barry joined NATO in a senior post with responsibility for the combat readiness of the NATO Response Force. He was awarded the NATO Meritorious Service medal by the Secretary General for his outstanding contribution to NATO.

After retiring from the armed forces in 2008, Barry joined the senior team in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. As the Head of Acute Planning and Performance he was responsible for the Board’s hospital transformation programmes, which included the opening of the new Stobhill and Victoria Ambulatory Care Hospitals and in 2015, the opening of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and new Royal Hospital for Children which stand as the largest campus in Europe.

Barry has several voluntary roles. He supports local disability sports organisations through hands on coaching and support and also as a non-executive director and chairperson of national charities. Barry is an elected trustee on the Board of the Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the representative body for around 4000 voluntary organisations in Scotland. During his period as the Chair of the philanthropic grant making charity Foundation Scotland, Scotland's Community Foundation, the organisation supported local community organisations through and beyond the pandemic, across Scotland with over 3000 grants or social enterprise loans each year. Barry stood down as Chair in September 2024 having achieved his personal target of overseeing the achievement of the milestone of £200 million in grants awarded to build stronger more resilient communities. In October 2024 Barry was appointed as the Chair of the Scottish Chairty Venture Trust which provides person centred and trauma informed individual development programmes for those who are closest to adversity and furthest from opportunity. Venture Trust champions the use of outdoor activity and therapy to change lives and support people to achieve their full potential.

Register of Interests (last updated October 2024)