Honorary graduates 2012-13

John Hirst (DSc)

Wednesday 18 July 2012 11:45am

John Hirst was appointed Chief Executive of the Met Office in September 2007. As part of this role, he is the UK’s permanent representative to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and a member of the UK Space Board. Prior to this John was CEO of Premier Farnell where he worked to reshape the Group through one of the deepest and most protracted downturns in the electronics industry, establishing a pattern of market share growth across Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific.

Before his time at Premier Farnell, John spent 19 years with ICI plc, where he was Chief Executive of two of ICI’s Global businesses, ICI Performance Chemicals and ICI Autocolor, and was Group Treasurer.

John holds a degree in Economics from Leeds University. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, a Member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers and a companion of the Chartered British Institute of Management.

In February 2004, John became a non-executive director of Hammerson plc, a leading FTSE 100 European property company, where he also chairs the Audit Committee. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Epilepsy Research UK and Epilepsy Bereaved – charities committed to raising funds to find the causes and cures for epilepsy.