Hugh held a number of leadership roles in government, industry and the community, including Chief Government Geologist of the newly formed PNG Geological Survey from 1973 to 1981, Executive Manager of the (also) newly formed Geological Survey Division at the Mineral Resources Authority from 2007 to 2009, and Chairman of the National Disaster Awareness and Preparedness Committee from 1999 to 2007. Hugh arrived at UPNG in 1989, where he was the Professor of Geology until 2018, restructuring the geology degree program and creating an internationally competitive geology department.