Peter Main was educated at Robert Gordon’s College then at the university of Aberdeen qualifying in 1948. His junior hospital posts were as a house surgeon in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and house physician at Woodend Hospital, Aberdeen. Between 1949-51 he served as a Captain in the RAMC followed by a spell as a demonstrator in Anatomy, University of Durham.
He worked in general practice, 1953-57 and then began what was to be his life’s work – pharmaceutical research and senior level management – apart from a short time in 1956 in Suez as a medical officer in the RAMC.
He joined the research department in Boots Ltd. in 1957, and became Director of Research in1968. After being appointed FBIM in 1978 he became Managing Director of the Industrial Division 1979-1980, a company director 1973-85, Vice-Chairman 1981 and Chairman of Boots Company Ltd 1982-85, the year in which he was knighted.
He was a Director of W.A.Baxter and Sons, Ltd 1985-91 and Chairman of Inveresk Research International 1986-89. His skills as a chairman were widely recognised. He chaired the committee looking at teachers’ pay and conditions in Scotland (1986), was a member of the NEDC (1984-5), a member of the Scottish Health Service Policy Board (1985-88), the SDA (1986-91), a governor of Henley Management College (1983-6), Chairman of Grantown Heritage Trust (1987-91), a Trustee of the University of Aberdeen Development Trust (1988-97) and, last but by no means the least, he was an elder in his church in Chirnside, Scotland.
His first wife, Dr Margaret Finnister died in 1984. He married his second wife, May Hetherington Anderson McMillan in 1986, the same year in which he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws, Aberdeen University He was elected a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1981, becoming a Fellow in the following year. His recreation was fishing.