Simon Hamilton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Simon Hamilton
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| Economy Minister of Northern Ireland | |
| In office 25 May 2016 – 26 January 2017 |
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| 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 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Wells |
| Succeeded by | Michelle O'Neill |
| Minister of Finance and Personnel | |
| In office 29 July 2013 – 11 May 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Sammy Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Arlene Foster |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly for Strangford |
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| In office 7 March 2007 – 2 September 2019 |
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| Preceded by | George Ennis |
| Succeeded by | Harry Harvey |
| Member of Ards Borough Council |
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| In office 5 May 2005 – 5 May 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Hamilton Lawther |
| Succeeded by | Naomi Armstrong |
| Constituency | Newtownards |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 March 1977 Newtownards, Northern Ireland |
| Political party | Democratic Unionist Party (until 2019) |
| Spouse | Nicki |
| Children | Lewis Kyle |
| Residences | Comber, Northern Ireland |
| Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast |
| Website | Official website: http://www.simonhamilton.org |
Simon Hamilton (born March 17, 1977) is a businessman and consultant from Northern Ireland. He used to be a politician with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Simon Hamilton served as the Economy Minister for Northern Ireland from 2016 until the government stopped working in January 2017. He was also a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the Strangford area from 2007 to 2019.
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Simon Hamilton's Education
Simon Hamilton went to Regent House School. He then studied at Queen's University Belfast. There, he earned degrees in history, politics, and law. While at Queen's University, he was the Chairman of the Queen's Unionist Association. He was also a member of the university's Senate, which helps manage the university.
Simon Hamilton's Career in Politics
Simon Hamilton started his career as an auditor for an accounting company in Belfast. From 2003, he worked for the DUP as a Policy Officer. This job involved helping to shape the party's ideas and plans.
Early Political Roles
In 2005, Simon Hamilton was elected to the Ards Borough Council. This meant he helped make decisions for the local area. He did not run for re-election in 2011. He also held important roles within the DUP locally. He was the secretary of the Strangford DUP Association. He was also the vice-chairman of the Newtownards DUP Branch.
Becoming a Minister
In 2013, Simon Hamilton became the Minister of Finance and Personnel. He took over this role from Sammy Wilson. This job involved managing the government's money and staff.
In 2015, he was appointed as the Health Minister for Northern Ireland. This role meant he was in charge of health services. He stepped down from this position several times in late 2015 during a time of political challenges.
Leaving Politics
In June 2019, Simon Hamilton announced he was leaving politics. He decided to become the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Belfast Chamber of Commerce. This organization helps businesses in Belfast. To take on this new role, he also resigned from the DUP.
