Whakakiia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I whanau mai ia i Ayrshire, i haere a Duncan ki te Ardrossan Academy i Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, a i whakaakona ia ki te Whare Wananga o Birmingham i whiwhi ai ia i te BCom i te tau 1985. I muri mai ka mahi ia hei kaitohutohu pakihi me te whakawhitiwhiti korero mo Mackays Stores Ltd mai i te 1985 ki te 1988 hei taapiri ki te whakahaere i te umanga papanga whanau - John Duncan & Son mai i te 1988 ki te 2000. I te marama o Hepetema 1997, i puta ia hei mema o te hunga whakarongo i te wa e tautohetohe ana a Scottish Television mo te
pōti whakahekenga, a ka kōrero ki te whakatū i tētahi Pāremata Pirihimana. I muri mai ka tū a Duncan mō te pōtitanga ki te pāremata i whakahe ai ia i te tīmatanga.