Michael Hirst (politician)

Sir Michael William Hirst (born 2 January 1946) is a former Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party politician, chartered accountant and public relations consultant and company director.

A student of Glasgow Academy and the University of Glasgow, Hirst had a career as a chartered accountant and partner in Peat Marwick, now KPMG, before entering politics. He was elected Member of Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden at the 1983 general election, but lost the seat to Labour's Sam Galbraith at the 1987 election. He was PPS at the Department of Energy from 1985 to 1987. Sir Michael was subsequently the President of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Association from 1989 to 1992 and Chairman of the Scottish Conservative Party from 1993 to 1997.

He was knighted in 1992 for political and public service. He is chairman of the Scottish Division of ISKB, and a member of its Council.

Hirst joined Pagoda Public Relations in 1998 and was appointed chairman in 2000. He attained his MCIPR in 2003.[1]. He is chairman of Millstream Associates Limited, Aberdeen. He was made a Doctor of Letters by Glasgow Caledonian University in 2004.

He was the first non-medical chairman of the board of trustees of Diabetes UK from 2001–2006 and was elected Vice President of the International Diabetes Federation in 2006, serving in that position until he was elected President-Elect in 2009. He will take up office as President at the end of 2012.

He has two daughters and one son with his wife, Naomi Ferguson, whom he married in 1972. In his spare time he enjoys golf, hill walking, theatre and skiing. He is a member of the Carlton Club in London and the Western Club in Glasgow.

Career

• 1970: Qualified as a Chartered Accountant
• 1977-83 Partner in Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co
• 1979- Director Erskine Hospital Ltd
• 1983-92 Consultant for KPMG Peat Marwick
• 1983-87 Conservative Member of Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden
• 1985-87 Parliamentary Private Secretary Department of Energy
• 1986-2009 Chair The Park School Education Trust
• Diabetes UK: Trustee 1988-2006, Honorary Secretary 1993-, Vice-Chairman 1998-2001, Chairman 2001-2006, Vice-President 2006-
• 1989-92 President Scottish Conservative and Unionist Association 1989-92
• 1993-97 Chairman Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 1993-97 (vice-chair 1987-89)
• Pagoda Public Relations: 1998-, Chairman 2000-
• 2002- Imperial Soc of Knights Bachelor (Chairman Scottish Division)
• 2003- MCIPR
• International Diabetes Federation: Vice-President 2006-2009; President-Elect 2009-

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by New constituency	Member of Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden 1983–1987	Succeeded by Sam Galbraith
Preceded by ?	Chairman of Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 1993 - 1997	Succeeded by Raymond Robertson

References

• Times Guide to the House of Commons 1992
• Lexis Nexis
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages

Persondata
Name	Hirst, Michael
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Date of birth	2 January 1946
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