{{Short description|British politician (born 1960)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Use British English|date=November 2012}}

{{Infobox person |name = Jeremy Middleton |image = |caption = |birth_date = 19 November 1960 |birth_place = Burton on Trent, England |education = Tettenhall College |alma_mater = University of Kent |occupation = Businessperson |known_for = |spouse = Catherine Smith (m. 1988) |website = }}

'''Jeremy Middleton''' CBE (born 19 November 1960) is a British businessperson, angel investor, and former Conservative politician.

== Early life == Middleton was born on 19 November 1960 in Burton upon Trent to Dennis Middleton and Vivienne Middleton.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|title=Middleton, Jeremy Peter, (born 19 Nov. 1960), Managing Director, Middleton Enterprises Ltd, since 1990 |journal= Who's Who & Who Was Who|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/abstract/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-253977|language=en|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U253977|url-access=subscription}}</ref> He was educated at Tettenhall College before studying History at the University of Kent.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/topics/People_educated_at_Tettenhall_College|title=BBC - People educated at Tettenhall College|publisher=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-11-08}}</ref> He married Catherine Smith in 1988, with whom he has three children.<ref name=":0" />

== Business career == Middleton started his career in 1984 as a brand manager at Procter & Gamble, a role he held until he became a consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1988.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/business/most-influential-2017-l-m-13678788|title=Most Influential 2017: Here's the list from L to M|last=Upex|first=Angela|date=2017-09-27|work=nechronicle|access-date=2018-11-08}}</ref>

He co-founded emergency repairs company HomeServe in 1990, and has served on its executive committee since 1992.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=http://www.thejournal.co.uk/business/business-news/jeremy-middleton-ftse-200-company-co-founder-4464386|title=Jeremy Middleton, FTSE-200 company co-founder|last=Administrator|first=journallive|date=2010-02-15|work=journallive|access-date=2018-11-08|language=en|archive-date=3 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503134023/http://www.thejournal.co.uk/business/business-news/jeremy-middleton-ftse-200-company-co-founder-4464386|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He has been managing director of investment company Middleton Enterprises since 1990, which funds new companies in the North East and part funded the film ''The Liability''.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thejournal.co.uk/business/business-news/jeremy-middleton-debuts-film-industry-4392426|title=Jeremy Middleton debuts in the film industry|last=Upex|first=Angela|date=2013-05-07|work=journallive|access-date=2018-11-08|language=en|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305034527/http://www.thejournal.co.uk/business/business-news/jeremy-middleton-debuts-film-industry-4392426|url-status=dead}}</ref> He invested in Atom Bank and Rota, an app providing casual labour in the hospitality sector.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Times |first=The Sunday |title=Best places for business: Newcastle |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/article/best-places-for-business-newcastle-3fhn98h0z |access-date=2022-05-17 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> He started the Middleton Community Enterprise Fund in 2007, to give money to charities to support their commercial work.<ref name=":2" />

In 2008, he was listed as the 1,259th richest person in the United Kingdom by the Times, with wealth valued at £60 million.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/jeremy-middleton-sb9gdz3ljhs|title=Jeremy Middleton|date=2008-04-27|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=2018-11-08|language=en|issn=0956-1382}}</ref>

From 2012 to 2016, Middleton served on the board of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership.<ref name=":0" /> From 2013 to 2017 he served on the board of energy consultancy Utilitywise.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/northeast/utilitywise-chairman-to-step-down|title=Utilitywise chairman to step down|work=Insider Media Ltd|access-date=2018-11-08|language=en-GB}}</ref>

He is also governor of Studio West School and a board member of a charity for the homeless, Changing Lives.<ref name=":1" />

== Political career == Middleton contested Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend in the 1997 general election, losing to Nick Brown.<ref name=":0" /> He has five times unsuccessfully contested seats on Newcastle upon Tyne City Council. In the 2004 European Parliament election he was listed second on the Conservative list in the North East region but again failed to be elected. He was the Conservative candidate in the 2004 Hartlepool by-election, where he came fourth.

Middleton served as President of the National Conservative Convention from 2008 to 2009. In April 2009, he was elected onto the board of the Conservative party as Chairman of the National Convention, a role he held until 2012.<ref name=":0" />

In February 2016, Middleton became the first candidate to enter the North East mayoral race and subsequently resigned from the Conservative Party.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/north-east-businessman-becomes-first-10907639/|title=Middleton runs to become North East Major|newspaper=Chronicle Live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220095323/http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/north-east-businessman-becomes-first-10907639|archive-date=20 February 2016|url-status=dead|access-date=18 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/north-east-mayoral-hopeful-jeremy-11423859|title=North East mayoral hopeful Jeremy Middleton quits the Conservative Party|last=Hill|first=Laura|date=2016-06-03|work=nechronicle|access-date=2018-11-08}}</ref> The elections were subsequently cancelled after North East councils failed to agree on the central government's devolution package.

== Honours == He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for political and charitable services.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=60173|supp=y|page=8|date=16 June 2012}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before= Simon Mort}} {{s-ttl|title=President of the National Conservative Convention|years=2008–2009}} {{s-aft|after=Emma Pidding}} {{s-bef|before=Don Porter}} {{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the National Conservative Convention|years= April 2009–2012}} {{s-aft|after=Emma Pidding}} |- {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Middleton, Jeremy}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of the University of Kent Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Conservative Party (UK) officials Category:Conservative Party (UK) parliamentary candidates Category:People educated at Tettenhall College Category:Angel investors Category:Procter & Gamble people