 Lamont was educated at Greenock Academy The University of Glasgow, The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) and Jordanhill College of Education, where he trained as a secondary school teacher.He started his career working as a trainee manager for the Clydesdale Bank before joining Scottish Opera in 1980 working in a number of roles including Touring Manager, Marketing Officer and Director of Education Programmes.In 1981 he became Assistant General Manager at Pitlochry Festival Theatre.