Patricia Hewitt

Biographical Information
Patricia Hewitt wiki

"Education Church of England grammar school, Canberra, Australian National University and Newnham College, Cambridge

"Career History Worked for Liberty and Age Concern (1971-1974); press officer for Neil Kinnock (1983-1987); policy co-ordinator to Neil Kinnock MP (1987-1989); deputy director, IPPR (1989-1994); director of research, Andersen Consulting (1994- 1997); vice chairman, British Council (1997-1998)

"Political Career MP for Leicester West since 1997. deputy chairman social justice commission (1992-1994). Economic secretary to the Treasury (1998-1999). Minister for small business & e-commerce (1999-2001) Secretary of state for trade and industry and minister for women (2001-)

"High Co-wrote Neil Kinnock's 1985 conference speech that attacked the Liverpudlian militant Derek Hatton, and helped to define Labour's long road back to electability."

"Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt, is the chair of the UK India Business Council (UKIBC), the membership led organization, backed by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), that promotes bilateral trade between the UK and India.

"Ms Hewitt has long and distinguished experience in Parliament and Government, not least as the longest serving Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in the last fifty years. In that role, she gave top priority to promoting closer business links between the UK and India. Ms Hewitt also served as Cabinet Minister for Women (2001 - 2005) and Secretary of State for Health (2005 - 2007).

"In 2008, Ms Hewitt joined the Board of BT Group plc, where she is now senior independent director, chairing the remuneration committee and the pensions review committee. She is also a non-executive director of Euro Tunnel Group and a member of the Barclays Asia Pacific Advisory Committee.

"In 2010, Ms Hewitt stood down as MP for Leicester West, having first been elected in 1997, but continues to have close family and personal ties with the city and its large British Asian community.

"Patricia's husband, William Birtles, is senior judge at the Mayor's and City of London Court. They have a son and daughter. In her spare time, Patricia enjoys reading, theatre, music and gardening - and learning to speak Hindi! "

"The former health secretary Patricia Hewitt took a consultancy with Alliance Boots seven months after standing down and a £55,000 role with Cinven, which bought 25 private hospitals from Bupa. Alan Milburn and Norman Warner also took jobs with health firms." 

Her son is Nicholas Hewitt Birtles. 

Affiliations

 * Community Resource Exchange
 * Patron (2011), National Forest Charitable Trust

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