Alan Faichney graduated with a mathematics degree from St Andrews University in 1977 before going on to join Ferranti as an analyst.
Next up he was a software manager at Geofix and in 1985 co-founded Edinburgh-based Concept Systems.
That was a business which supplied complex planning and data management tools to seismic contractors in the oil exploration industry.
Mr Faichney spent more than 20 years there as technical director and managing director until the business was acquired for $36 million in 2004 by American corporation Input/Output.
He stayed on for four years as senior vice-president of strategic resources, which involved working with Input/Output on its acquisitions and helping with the integration of other businesses.
The commute between Houston in the US and his Edinburgh home eventually became less appealing and he decided to build up a portfolio of non-executive roles but took the Edinburgh Instruments post in June 2010.
He lives in Edinburgh and has three children and one grandson.
Away from work he still enjoys computer programming and has written apps for the iPhone.
He is also involved in helping his eldest daughter and her husband set up a deli in the Stockbridge area of Edinburgh.
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