Michael William Russell (born 9 August 1953) is a Scottish politician who served as Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs from 2020 to 2021. He served as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning from 2009 to 2014 and Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations from 2018 to 2020. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Russell has been President of the SNP since November 2020. He was the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Argyll and Bute from 2011 to 2021, having previously served as a list MSP for South of Scotland from 1999 to 2003 and 2007 to 2011. Russell previously worked as a television producer and director and the author of seven books. He was Chief Executive of the SNP from 1994 to 1999 and was elected to the Scottish Parliament as a regional MSP for the South of Scotland at the first Scottish Parliament elections in 1999. However, he lost his seat in the 2003 Scottish Parliament election. He was elected again in May 2007 and was appointed Minister for Environment in Scotland's first-ever SNP administration by First Minister Alex Salmond. He was then reshuffled on 10 February 2009 to become Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, and was later promoted to the Scottish Cabinet on 1 December 2009 replacing Fiona Hyslop as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning until November 2014. He was a professor of culture and governance at the University of Glasgow from 2015 to 2016. Russell later served in Nicola Sturgeon's government as Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe from August 2016 to June 2018. He returned to the Cabinet in 2018 as Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations. Background Russell was born in Bromley, Kent to an English mother and a Scottish father. He grew up in Troon, where he attended Marr College. He went to Edinburgh University, where he studied first theology and then Scottish history and literature. He worked in television and the media prior to establishing his own media company, Eala Bhan Ltd. Russell is conversant in Gaelic and gave a speech in the language which was the first occasion the European Council was addressed in Gaelic. Journalist Chris Deerin described him as "a man of culture – and he is likely to tell you so". Political career Russell was Chief Executive of