Lamont attended Aberdeen Grammar School, then graduated in Russian Studies from the
University of Aberdeen. He was employed in the motor industry for four years (1970–74) He was a member of
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service from 1974 to 2006. He served in Austria,
the Soviet Union, Berlin (through the Fall of the Wall), and
Bosnia & Herzegovina. He was British Ambassador to
Uruguay (1991–94),
Governor of the Falkland Islands and
Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (1999–2002) and British Ambassador to Venezuela (2003–06). After retirement he was Chief Executive of
Wilton Park (2007–09). He served as Chairman of the
UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, He was a Founding Board Member of
Sistema Scotland, Trustee of "Enable Me" (a disability awareness charity based in Sussex), Chairman of the British Uruguayan Society; Chairman of Friends of the
Falkland Islands Museum and the
Jane Cameron National Archives, and is now Chairman of the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust (FMHT). The FMHT organised and funded the Endurance22 Expedition that in 2022 located, filmed and surveyed the wreck of Sir Ernest Shackleton's ship, Endurance. ==Personal life==