| Simon Hamilton | |
| Office: | Economy Minister of Northern Ireland |
| Firstminister: | Arlene Foster |
| Term Start: | 25 May 2016 |
| Term End: | 26 January 2017 |
| Predecessor: | Jonathan Bell |
| Successor: | Diane Dodds (2020) |
| Office2: | Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety |
| Term Start2: | 11 May 2015 |
| Term End2: | 6 May 2016 |
| Predecessor2: | Jim Wells |
| Successor2: | Michelle O'Neill |
| Office3: | Minister of Finance and Personnel |
| Term Start3: | 29 July 2013 |
| Term End3: | 11 May 2015 |
| Predecessor3: | Sammy Wilson |
| Successor3: | Arlene Foster |
| Office4: | Member of the Legislative Assembly for Strangford |
| Assembly4: | Northern Ireland |
| Term Start4: | 7 March 2007 |
| Term End4: | 2 September 2019 |
| Predecessor4: | George Ennis |
| Successor4: | Harry Harvey[1] |
| Office5: | Member of Ards Borough Council |
| Constituency5: | Newtownards |
| Term Start5: | 5 May 2005 |
| Term End5: | 5 May 2011 |
| Predecessor5: | Hamilton Lawther |
| Successor5: | Naomi Armstrong |
| Birth Date: | 17 March 1977 |
| Birth Place: | Newtownards, Northern Ireland |
| Party: | Democratic Unionist Party (until 2019) |
| Spouse: | Nicki |
| Children: | Lewis Kyle |
| Residence: | Comber, Northern Ireland |
| Alma Mater: | Queen's University Belfast |
| Website: | Official 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.
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.
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. 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]