Hugh Robertson (politician)

Sir Hugh Michael Robertson KCMG PC DL,[1][2] (born 9 October 1962, Canterbury, Kent) is the Chairman of the British Olympic Association and Chairman of Camelot, the operator of The National Lottery. He was formerly a British Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Faversham and Mid Kent from 2001 to 2015. He was the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs until July 2014, having previously been the Minister for Sport and for the Olympics.[3]

The Right Honourable

Sir Hugh Robertson

KCMG DL
Robertson in 2010
Chairman of the British Olympic Association
Assumed office
24 November 2016
PresidentThe Princess Royal
Preceded byThe Lord Coe
Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa
In office
7 October 2013 – 14 July 2014
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byAlistair Burt
Succeeded byTobias Ellwood
Minister for Sport
In office
14 May 2010 – 7 October 2013
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byGerry Sutcliffe
Succeeded byHelen Grant
Member of Parliament
for Faversham and Mid Kent
In office
7 June 2001 – 30 March 2015
Preceded byAndrew Rowe
Succeeded byHelen Whately
Personal details
Born (1962-10-09) 9 October 1962
Canterbury, Kent, UK
NationalityBritish
Political partyConservative
Spouse(s)Anna, née Copson
Alma materUniversity of Reading
Websitewww.hughrobertson.co.uk
Military service
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch/service British Army
Years of service1982–1995
RankMajor
UnitLife Guards

Education
The King's School, Canterbury

Robertson was educated at The King's School, Canterbury. He then read Land Management at the University of Reading from 1982 to 1985, obtaining a BSc (Hons) degree, before attending the RMA Sandhurst between 1985 and 1986.

In April 2014, Robertson was awarded a Distinguished Fellowship by the University of Reading in recognition of the role he played in the London 2012 Olympics. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Bedfordshire in November 2017 for his contribution to sport.[4]

Career

Robertson served as an officer in the Life Guards from 1982 to 1995, rising to the rank of Major. Robertson saw active service in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, The Gulf War and served with the UN peacekeeping force UNPROFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also commanded The Household Cavalry on the 1993 Queen's Birthday Parade and at the 1993 State Opening of Parliament.[3]

From 1995 until 2001, he was a banker with the investment management division of Schroders, then head of new business development for the property division.[5]

Parliamentary career

Robertson was the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Faversham and Mid Kent, a large constituency in Kent, which stretches from the outskirts of east Maidstone to the rural areas of The Weald and Faversham. He doubled his majority at both the 2005 and 2010 elections.[6]

Having shadowed this post in Opposition, he was appointed a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State as the Minister for Sport and the Olympics in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in May 2010.[7] In September 2012, he was promoted to Minister of State in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport as the Minister for Sport, Olympic Legacy Tourism and was appointed a Privy Councillor. He took The Equal Marriage Bill through Parliament. In 2013, he moved to be Minister of State at The Foreign and Commonwealth Office responsible for The Middle East, North Africa and Counter Terrorism. He was involved in John Kerry's Middle East Peace initiative, the Iran nuclear negotiations and the Geneva Peace process to end the war in Syria. He stood down from government in the 2014 reshuffle and was knighted for his work as Minister for The Olympics during London 2012 and his work in The Middle East.[8]

In January 2015 Robertson announced that he would stand down from Parliament at the next general election.[9]

Post-Parliament appointments

Personal life

Robertson married Anna Copson on 17 May 2002 at the Church of St. Margaret, Westminster. The wedding had to be rescheduled at short notice from 5 April after the death of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.[12] They have one son.

Honours

Sir Hugh has received the following decorations:

References
  1. "No. 59418". The London Gazette. 13 May 2010. p. 8742.
  2. "No. 61275". The London Gazette. 24 June 2015. p. 11528.
  3. "Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office". Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  4. "University honours key figures from London Olympics". 25 March 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  5. Dods Parliamentary Companion
  6. Who's Who 2014
  7. Gibson, Owen (14 May 2010). "Conservative MP Hugh Robertson to be confirmed as new sports minister". Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  8. 10 Downing Street website 22 Jul 14
  9. "Hugh Robertson, former Conservative minister, to stand down". BBC News. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  10. "Sir Hugh Robertson to replace Sebastian Coe as BOA chairman". The Guardian. 24 November 2016.
  11. "Camelot appoints Sir Hugh Robertson as new chairman - Gaming Intelligence".
  12. Assinder, Nick (10 May 2002). "Blair fights on in media battle". BBC News.
  13. Pingat Indah Kerja Baik
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Andrew Rowe		 Member of Parliament for Faversham and Mid Kent
2001–2015		 Succeeded by
Helen Whately
Political offices
Preceded by
Gerry Sutcliffe		 Minister for Sport
2010–2013		 Succeeded by
Helen Grant
Preceded by
Alistair Burt		 Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
2013–2014		 Succeeded by
Tobias Ellwood
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