Career
He was appointed to this position in April, 2008 and retired from International Business Machines Corporation in July 2010. He represented International Business Machines Corporation to the European Commission and other authorities such as North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Event-driven architecture on issues of international public policy and business regulation. He also oversaw the company"s corporate citizenship, environmental affairs, intellectual property, standards development and university relations activities across the region.
Prior to that role, Hirst led International Business Machines Corporation"s business in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands and South Africa between 2002 and 2008.
He began his International Business Machines Corporation career as a sales trainee in 1977. Leadership roles included Director of Operations in Eastern Europe and Russia (1990-1991) and Vice President of the Financial Services Sector in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (1994-2001).
Hirst has a number of roles that support his twin passions of educational improvement and information technology. He is Chairman of the "Transition to Teaching" Steering Committee, appointed by the United Kingdom Secretary of State for education.
He is also Chairman of e-skills United Kingdom, the Sector Skills Council for Information Technology, Telecoms and Contact Centres.
In 2007, he was appointed Commissioner at the United Kingdom Government"s Commission for Employment and Skills. The following year he was made Chairman of the United Kingdom Trade and Investment Executive Board, responsible for driving the United Kingdom"s trade and investment objectives in the telecoms and Information Technology sectors. Born in Batley in 1951, Hirst grew up in Chickenley and went to Wheelwright Grammar School.
Married with two children, Hirst graduated in Mathematics from Hull University.
He started his career as a salesman with Kodak and in 1977 joined International Business Machines Corporation in London as a sales trainee. Hirst"s career was celebrated in October 2006 in the Men of Science exhibition, which commemorated the work of Dewsbury men who had made a difference to the world of science and industry.
In December 2009, he was announced as a private sector Business Ambassador by United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown, a role created to promote United Kingdom excellence. Larry was appointed C.B.E. in 2006, in recognition of Services to the Information Technology industry.
Personal Larry Hirst was said to be too unwell to attend the 2013 trial of International Business Machines Corporation United Kingdom Holdings, the company of which he had been general manager and chief executive.