Douglas Trainer is a former President of the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom (NUS) from 1996 to 1998, having served the previous two years as President of NUS Scotland, winning both as the Labour Students candidate.

He went on to work for, and become a partner in public relations company Luther Pendragon, and in 2006 became a special adviser to the Scottish Executive.^[1]

After Labour's defeat in the Scottish Parliament election, 2007, Trainer worked for Serco as Communications Director for their Civil Government Business and then for Newham Council. He was formerly married to government headhunter Andrea Bainger.