Campbell was born and educated in Glasgow. Most of career was spent in management of heavy industry in Scotland – aluminium smelting in the Highlands and a rolling mill in Falkirk. He was Divisional Director of British Alcan and was also managing director of a retail company with high marketing exposure, and Board member of Associated Independent Stores. Now retired, Cambell is also on the Council of the Geological Society of Glasgow and involved with a project to rescue the Fossil Grove in Victoria Park. Interests include mountaineering, particularly rock climbing (Scottish Mountaineering Club for 45 years), skiing, fishing (a recent discovery), art, and a wide variety of music. No content with all that, he also taught for a full year at a Glasgow comprehensive in the old “uncertificated” years; and played in a Glasgow based folk group in the revival years of the '60's and early '70's.