Adrian is particularly interested in the public, legislative, economic, and social management of heritage – focusing in particular on the need to incorporate and articulate public and community values in heritage activities in order to deliver real and lasting public benefit. He is the Chair of the National Trust Historic Environment Advisory Group and a member of the East of England Regional Advisory Board, and is also an active member of the National Trust Specialist Advice Network. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (and Policy Committee member), a trustee of the Royal Archaeological Institute, and an honorary Professor of the Institute of Archaeology, University College London.

Adrian has worked at a senior level across a wide range of historic environment activities, crossing traditional professional and subject-based boundaries, and has a broad operational perspective alongside a strong understanding of the wider historic environment. He retired from the then English Heritage in 2012 where he was Heritage Protection Director and Head of Profession for Archaeology.

Adrian was the founding President of the European Archaeological Council, the European network of state heritage agencies. He worked as a lead expert for the Council of Europe, and he continues to work closely with European and international organisations. Currently he is the Secretary General of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management (ICAHM), and carries out technical missions for the ICOMOS World Heritage Evaluation Unit. He is jury member of the EU/Europa Nostra Heritage Awards (Conservation category).