Simon Hamilton | |
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Economy Minister of Northern Ireland | |
In office 25 May 2016 –26 January 2017 | |
First Minister | Arlene Foster |
Preceded by | Jonathan Bell |
Succeeded by | Diane Dodds (2020) |
Minister of Health,Social Services and Public Safety | |
In office 11 May 2015 –6 May 2016 | |
Preceded by | Jim Wells |
Succeeded by | Michelle O'Neill |
Minister of Finance and Personnel | |
In office 29 July 2013 –11 May 2015 | |
Preceded by | Sammy Wilson |
Succeeded by | Arlene Foster |
Member of the Legislative Assembly for Strangford | |
In office 7 March 2007 –2 September 2019 | |
Preceded by | George Ennis |
Succeeded by | Harry Harvey [1] |
Member of Ards Borough Council | |
In office 5 May 2005 –5 May 2011 | |
Preceded by | Hamilton Lawther |
Succeeded by | Naomi Armstrong |
Constituency | Newtownards |
Personal details | |
Born | Newtownards,Northern Ireland | 17 March 1977
Political party | Democratic Unionist Party (until 2019) |
Spouse | Nicki |
Children | Lewis Kyle |
Residence(s) | Comber,Northern Ireland |
Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast |
Website | Official website |
Simon Hamilton (born 17 March 1977) is a Northern Irish businessman,consultant and former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician. Hamilton served as the Economy Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive from 2016,until its collapse in January 2017. [2] [3] He was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Strangford from 2007 to 2019.
Hamilton was educated at Regent House School and Queen's University,Belfast holding degrees in history/politics and law. [4] He served as Chairman of the Queen's Unionist Association and as a member of Queen's University Senate.
Hamilton began his career as an auditor with an accountancy firm in Belfast [4] and was employed as a DUP Policy Officer in their Party Headquarters from 2003 until his election to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2007. [5] He was elected to Ards Borough Council in 2005 but did not stand at the 2011 Election. Hamilton was secretary of Strangford DUP Association and vice-chairman of Newtownards DUP Branch.
He was appointed minister of finance and personnel and replaced Sammy Wilson on 29 June 2013 in a reshuffle. [5] [6]
He was later appointed as the Health Minister of Northern Ireland in a further DUP reshuffle on 11 May 2015. [7] He resigned from this post several times during September and October 2015 in the context of a political crisis at Stormont. [2] [8]
In June 2019,Hamilton announced he was standing down from front line politics to become CEO of Belfast Chamber of Commerce. He also resigned from the DUP to take this role. [9]
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