For 23 years, Beattie worked as an international banker across the Middle East and Asia. He then decided after a period of working in London that he would return to living in Scotland with his wife, Lisa.[citation needed]
Beattie won the newly created seat of Midlothian North and Musselburgh in the 2011 Scottish Parliament election with a majority of just under 3000 votes.[2][5] He retained his seat in the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, with a majority of over 7,000 votes.[6] He was also the SNP National Treasurer from 2004 to 2020; he was defeated in the 2020 SNP internal elections by Douglas Chapman.[7] However, when Chapman later resigned in May 2021, stating "I had not received the support or financial information required to carry out the fiduciary duties of National Treasurer", Beattie returned to the position.[8]
Beattie was formally censured in 2013 by the Standards Commission for Scotland for breaching the Councillors’ code of Conduct for failing to register interest in property whilst a councillor.[12][13]