Simon Hamilton

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.

Simon Hamilton
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	(1977-03-17) 17 March 1977 (age 48) Newtownards, Northern Ireland
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

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]