Hamish Maxwell

Hamish Maxwell (whose name is pronouned "HAY-mish") was President of Philip Morris circa 1984. He took over at time of the Rose Defrancesco Cipollone lawsuit. He "cleaned house" and carried company into a strong defensive position.

Biography
Hamish Maxwell was born in Liverpool, England and was educated at Cambridge University in the UK, completing his BA in 1964, at the end of World War II. His father was Sir Alexander ('Sandy') Maxwell (KCMG), who headed a British tobacco importing company, served as Britain's Tobacco Controller during World War II, and was at the head of the cigarette industry's Tobacco Manufacturers Research Committee (TMRC) and its later Tobacco Advisory Council (TAC) until the early 1960s. Cigarettes were always around Maxwell's house, and by 1984 Hamish Maxwell smoked two packs a day.

He joined Philip Morris as an advertising executive (looking after radio and TV spots) in 1954, the year after Joseph Cullman 3rd rose to the top of the company, and he was soon moved into Philip Morris International and put to work trouble-shooting in Europe and Asia as the company expanded its overseas businesses.

By 1984 he was 57 years old had been employed with Philip Morris for 30 years.

Hamish was president of the Philip Morris International unit for five years prior to being named to succeed George Weissman as President of PM.

On July 1, 1984 he was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of PM and became CEO. Hamish formally took over as President and CEO of Philip Morris Companies, Inc. on August 1, 1984.

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