David graduated from the VSF in 1969 and Melbourne University in 1973.

He spent the first decade and a half working in various areas including fire research, field operations, lecturing at the VSF, environmental planning with the Ministry of Planning & Environment and mining policy with the Department of Industry, Technology and Resources. He moved to the Department of Conservation and Environment’s Commerce Branch in 1986 where the primary focus was the implementation of the Government’s Timber Industry Strategy.

David moved to the Victorian Plantations Corporation (VPC) when it was established as a government owned enterprise in 1993. Subsequently, he moved to Hancock Victorian Plantations (HVP) when it acquired the Corporation. His work focus included marketing initially, then responsibility for commercial operations in VPC and HVP. For a decade and a half David was Director, then Chairman, of Softwood Plantations Exporters which exported softwood chips to Japan and China.

David resigned as a full time employee in 2011 and worked as an independent consultant for the following 5 years advising forestry enterprises in Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania on marketing, log pricing, log & chip export markets and operations, post-cyclone salvage operations, harvesting & haulage, harvesting scheduling and roading.