TOM
FARMER
Sir Tom
is the founder
of Kwik-Fit,
one of the
World’s
largest automotive
parts repair
and replacement
specialists.
He has spent
all of his
working life
in the Tyre
and Automotive
industry.
Born 10th
July 1940,
and raised
in Edinburgh.
He opened
his first
business,
Tyres &
Accessory
Supplies in
1964 in Buccleuch
Street, Edinburgh.
He was then
23 years old.
At the age
of 27 he tried
early retirement
when he sold
his business
for £450,000
and moved
to San Francisco,
but quickly
got bored
and came back
to his homeland.
In 1971 he
founded Kwik-Fit
in Edinburgh,
which developed
into one of
the world’s
largest automotive
service companies
with more
than 2,300
company owned
service parts
and insurers.
In April 1999,
The Ford Motor
Company made
an agreed
offer of £1.2billion
for Kwik-Fit.
Sir Tom left
Kwik-Fit in
February 2002
and now concentrates
on his other
business interests
i.e. property
development,
venture capital
and investment
companies
and is involved
with a number
of charity
and community
projects,
including:
Chairman
- Scotland
Against Drugs
Campaign
Chairman of
The Trustees
of The Duke
of Edinburgh’s
Award
Non-Executive
Director –
My Travel
plc
Member of
the Development
Board of the
Royal College
of Surgeons,
Edinburgh
Trustee of
the Clerk
Maxwell Cancer
Research Fund
Honorary President
– Young
Enterprise
Scotland
Trustee of
Scottish Business
Achievement
Award Trust
President
Queen Margaret
University
College Foundation
Honorary President
of the Entrepreneurial
Exchange
Honours and
Awards
2002 Honorary
Degree of
Doctor of
the University
College, Queen
Margaret University
College, Edinburgh
2000 Recipient
of the Golden
Plate Award
– American
Academy of
Achievement
1999 Scotland’s
Elite Leader
of the Year
Award
1998 The Institute
of Management
Gold Medal
1997 Knights
Bachelor in
the Queen’s
Birthday Honours
List
1997 Knight
Commander
with Star
of the Order
of St. Gregory
the Great
(From Pope
John Paul
II)
1996 Degree
of Doctor
honoris causa,
University
of Edinburgh
1996 Entrepreneurial
Exchange –
Exceptional
Achievement
Award
1996 Honorary
Degree of
Doctor of
Technology,
Glasgow Caledonian
University
1996 Clydesdale
Bank Corporate
Citizenship
Award
1996 Officier
in de Orde
van Orange-Nassau
of The Netherlands
(From Queen
Beatrix of
The Netherlands)
1994 Fellow
of the Scottish
Vocation Education
Council
1993 Honorary
Doctorate
in Business
Administration,
Napier University,
Edinburgh
1993 The Knight
Cross of the
Order of Merit
of the Republic
of Poland
(From the
President
of Poland)
1990 CBE in
the Queen’s
Birthday Honours
List
1989 Scottish
Businessman
of the Year
Tom Farmer
is an excellent
After Dinner
Speaker, being
able to use
his experience
as a Captain
of Industry
to bring in
themes of
leadership
and motivation.
He is married
to Anne, his
wife of 36
years. They
have one daughter
(35), one
Son (34) and
three grandchildren.
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