Member of the Scottish Parliament
Which position did Brian Adam hold from May 2011 to Apr 2013?
Brian Adam Brian James Adam ( born10 June 1948 – died 25 April 2013 ) was a Scottish politician and biochemist . He served as a Scottish National Party ( SNP ) Member of the Scottish Parliament ( MSP ) from 1999−2013 . He was an MSP for the North East Scotland region from 1999-2003 , then for the Aberdeen North constituency from 2003-2011 , for the Aberdeen Donside constituency from 2011 until his death in 2013 . From 2007-2011 , he was Chief Whip for the minority SNP Government and Co-Convener of the Oil and Gas Cross Party Group . He was the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Chief Whip from May 2011 to September 2012 . Background . Adam was born in Newmill , a hamlet near Keith , Moray , Banffshire in 1948 . He attended Keith Grammar School and obtained a BSc ( Hons ) in Biochemistry and a MSc in Clinical Pharmacology from University of Aberdeen . He began his career with Glaxo in Montrose , Angus from 1970-1973 , before working as a biochemist at City Hospital , Aberdeen from 1973-1988 . From 1988 , Adam worked as the principal biochemist in the National Health Service at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and was a trade union activist prior to his election to Holyrood in 1999 . He had five children and three grandchildren . Adam lived in Aberdeen and was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ( LDS Church ) . Brian Adam was also an avid follower of Aberdeen Football Club and attended the majority of their matches . Political career . Brian Adam joined the Scottish National Party in 1974 . He served three terms as a councillor for Middlefield and Heathryfold on Aberdeen District Council ( 1988–1996 ) and on Aberdeen City Council from 1995 until his election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 . He stood as a candidate for the Aberdeen North constituency at the 1997 general election for the House of Commons but Labour retained the seat with a majority of 10,000 votes . Member of the Scottish Parliament . In the first election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 , he contested Aberdeen North . Labour won the seat with a narrow majority of just 398 votes . Adam was elected from the regional list as the second North East Scotland regional MSP in 1999 . At the 2003 election he stood for the Aberdeen North constituency , this time winning the seat from Labour with a majority of 457 votes . He retained the seat at the 2007 election with a significantly increased majority of 3,749 votes , and then again in 2011 in the renamed Aberdeen Donside with an even larger majority of 7,175 votes . After struggling with a long illness , his death from cancer was announced on 25 April 2013 . Then-First Minister Alex Salmond paid tribute to Adam as an outstanding politician , fine human being and a dear friend . Spokesperson posts . - May 1999 to September 2000 – Deputy Whip - September 2000 to April 2003 – Deputy Business Manager & Deputy Chief Whip - May 2003 to September 2004 – Deputy Party Spokesperson on Education & Lifelong Learning - September 2004 – Deputy Party Spokesperson on Tourism Parliamentary posts . In June 2003 he became the Convener of the Standards Committee . - May 2007 – Chief Whip - May 2011 – September 2012 − Minister for Parliamentary Business and Chief Whip