Tom Farmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Tom Farmer
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Farmer in 2015
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| Born | 10 July 1940 Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
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| Died | 9 May 2025 (aged 84) Edinburgh, Scotland
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| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | 1964–2025 |
| Title | CEO of Kwik Fit (1971–2002) Non-executive director of MyTravel Group (1994–2007) Director of Scottish Power (2009–2017) |
| Spouse(s) |
Anne Scott
(died 2023) |
| Children | 2 |
Sir Thomas Farmer (born July 10, 1940 – died May 9, 2025) was a Scottish businessman. He was famous for starting the Kwik Fit chain of car garages. He also owned the Scottish football club Hibernian for many years. Sir Tom was the head of Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh from 2007 to 2015.
Contents
Early Life and Business Start
Farmer was born in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland, on July 10, 1940. He grew up in a large family with six brothers and sisters. In 1964, he started his first business selling car tyres. He sold this company in 1969 for a good amount of money. After selling his first business, Farmer moved to the United States. However, he soon decided he wanted to start a new project. This led him to create Kwik Fit in 1971.
Building a Business Empire
Sir Tom Farmer became a very successful businessman. In 2020, his wealth was estimated to be around £126 million.
Kwik Fit's Growth
Farmer started the Kwik Fit chain of garages in 1971. The company grew very quickly. It expanded by buying other businesses and even opened in the Netherlands in 1975. Farmer was named Scottish Businessman of the Year in 1989. Kwik Fit became the world's largest independent company for tyres and car repairs. It had over 2,000 centres in 18 different countries. In 1999, Farmer sold Kwik Fit to the Ford for more than £1 billion. He was the first person from Scotland to receive the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy for his generous donations.
Owning Hibernian Football Club
Farmer owned 90% of Hibernian, a professional football club in Edinburgh. He owned the club from the early 1990s until 2019. He invested almost £3 million to save the club when it was in trouble. He also continued to help fund improvements to their stadium, Easter Road. Before he stepped in, another club owner tried to take over Hibernian in 1990. Farmer once said that he didn't have a strong love for football. He rarely went to matches. He felt it was important for the local community that Hibs continued to exist. He sold most of his ownership of the club in July 2019.
Farmer Autocare
Four years after selling Kwik Fit, Farmer started another car tyre business in 2003. This new company directly competed with his old one. He used £80 million from the Kwik Fit sale to start it. He first named it "Tyres 'n' Wheels Autocare." It began with three branches in his hometown of Edinburgh. The company was later renamed "Farmer Autocare." It grew to have 21 centres across central Scotland.
Personal Life
Sir Tom Farmer was married to Anne (who was born Anne Scott). They lived in Edinburgh. They had two children and four grandchildren. Lady Farmer passed away in 2023. Farmer also owned the island of Inchkeith in the Firth of Forth. He died at his home in Edinburgh on May 9, 2025, at 84 years old. His family announced his death the next day.
Awards and Recognition
Farmer received several important awards and honours.
- He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1990.
- He was knighted in 1997 for his work in the car industry. This meant he could be called "Sir."
- In 2009, he was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO). This was for his work as chairman of the Board of Trustees for The Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
- In March 1996, he became a Deputy lieutenant (DL) for the City of Edinburgh.
- He was also made a Knight Commander with Star of the Order of St. Gregory the Great.
- In 2007, he became the first Chancellor of Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University. He served in this role until 2016.
