In 1991, Bethel was appointed chief executive of the Lanarkshire Development Agency, part of the Scottish Enterprise network, a position he held until April 1996.
In January 2016 it was announced that Peter Rogers, CEO of Babcock since 2003, will retire in August 2016, and be succeeded by Bethel, chief executive of Babcock's Marine & Technology division, who will become chief operating officer from April [REF].