Alex was educated in Nottingham and at Cambridge University. After leaving university, he worked in management roles in the oil industry, broadcasting and banking, before moving into management consultancy. Having worked for various global practices, he now runs his own specialist consultancy firm working in the UK and abroad. In recent years he has specialised in various aspects of the criminal justice sector, including police, prisons and probation, as well as various public bodies including parliaments in the UK and abroad. He lives in Manchester with his three sons.