Simon Hamilton
Economy Minister of Northern Ireland
In office
25 May 2016 – 26 January 2017
First MinisterArlene Foster
Preceded byJonathan Bell
Succeeded byDiane Dodds (2020)
Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
In office
11 May 2015 – 6 May 2016
Preceded byJim Wells
Succeeded byMichelle O'Neill
Minister of Finance and Personnel
In office
29 July 2013 – 11 May 2015
Preceded bySammy Wilson
Succeeded byArlene Foster
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Strangford
In office
7 March 2007 – 2 September 2019
Preceded byGeorge Ennis
Succeeded byHarry Harvey[1]
Personal details
Born (1977-03-17) 17 March 1977 (age 47)
Newtownards, Northern Ireland
Political partyDemocratic Unionist Party (until 2019)
SpouseNicki
ChildrenLewis
Kyle
Residence(s)Comber, Northern Ireland
Alma materQueen's University Belfast
WebsiteOfficial 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.

Education

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.

Career

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]

References

  1. ^ "New MLA - Strangford Constituency". The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Mr Simon Hamilton". Northern Ireland Assembly. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  3. ^ "Simon Hamilton resigns four times in past three weeks". BBC News. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Hamilton appointed as Northern Ireland's Minister for Finance". Irish Times. 30 July 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Simon Hamilton appointed new finance minister". BBC News. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  6. ^ "DUP reshuffle: Foster, Bell and Hamilton in new jobs". BBC News. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  7. ^ "DUP reshuffle: Foster, Bell and Hamilton in new jobs". BBC News. 11 May 2015.
  8. ^ "Simon Hamilton resigns four times in past three weeks". BBC News. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  9. ^ "DUP's Simon Hamilton quits politics to become Belfast Chamber boss". 28 June 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
Northern Ireland Assembly Preceded byGeorge Ennis MLA for Strangford 2007–2019 Succeeded byHarry Harvey Political offices Preceded bySammy Wilson Minister of Finance and Personnel 2013–2015 Succeeded byArlene Foster Preceded byJim Wells Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety 2015 – 2016 Succeeded byMichelle O'Neillas Minister of Health Preceded byJonathan Bell Minister for the Economy 2016 – 2017 VacantOffice suspended


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