larry hirst cbe is the former chairman of ibm europe middle east and africa he was appointed to this position in april 2008 and retired from ibm in july 2010 he represented ibm to the european commission and other authorities such as nato and the eda on issues of international public policy and business regulation he also oversaw the companys corporate citizenship environmental affairs intellectual property standards development and university relations activities across the regionprior to that role hirst led ibms business in the uk ireland netherlands and south africa between 2002 and 2008he began his ibm career as a sales trainee in 1977 leadership roles included director of operations in eastern europe and russia 19901 and vice president of the financial services sector in emea 19942001hirst 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 uk secretary of state for education he is also chairman of eskills uk the sector skills council for it telecoms and contact centres in 2007 he was appointed commissioner at the uk governments commission for employment and skills the following year he was made chairman of the uk trade and investment executive board responsible for driving the uks trade and investment objectives in the telecoms and it sectorsoutside the uk hirst is a foundation board member of imd the swissbased global business school and is advisor to the presidential advisory council on information society and development piac in south africaborn 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 ibm in london as a sales trainee hirsts 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 industryin december 2009 he was announced as a private sector business ambassador by uk prime minister gordon brown a role created to promote uk excellencelarry was appointed cbe in 2006 in recognition of services to the it industry