David joined the Carbon Trust in April 2001 on secondment from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Prior to joining the Carbon Trust, David worked in a range of energy efficiency, renewable energy and international nuclear R&D policy posts in the UK Government. David was at the (then) Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions where he was involved in the development of the UK's climate change levy package of measures to help achieve carbon savings from the non-domestic sectors - in particular the negotiation of a number of climate change agreements with the energy intensive sectors and support for the team developing the Enhanced Capital Allowances scheme. Previously he helped design the Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme, becoming its Director in 1994.

David Vincent is a physical chemist by training. He gained a PhD from The University of Kent at Canterbury in 1973 for original research in the field of low temperature fluorescence spectroscopy applied to anthracene and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.