THE SNP is claiming another major coup in the wooing of Scotland's business community with the decision by Tom Hamilton to join the pro-independence Business for Scotland group.
Mr Hamilton, former boss of 10,000 workers in Stakis's nursing home division, Ashbourne, is to become the seventh board member of the organisation which was set up last year.
It already includes Mr Dennis MacLeod and Mr Jim Mather, millionaires who made their fortunes in mining and electronics respectively; Mr David Ross, chief of Clan Ross; Mr David McCarthy, retired director of a major fish-farming company; Mr James Scott, former head of the Scottish Office education and industry departments; and Ms Pat Grant, managing director of Caithness-based freezer manufacturers Norfrost Ltd.
Mr Hamilton, 42, a former accountant from Paisley, set up the lucrative nursing home division of Stakis 11 years ago and ran it until he led a #50m management buy-out in 1993.
With Mr Hamilton as chief executive, Ashbourne continued to grow until it was taken over by the American Sun Healthcare for #125m in 1997. Mr Hamilton stayed on, controlling a group with 148 nursing homes with 8400 beds, 9000 employees and an annual turnover of #130m. He quit in October.
He told The Herald: ''I was one of a crowd of six student friends at university but the other five had to leave Scotland to make a success of themselves - two abroad and three in London. I don't like the idea of that at all, but it is typical. So much of our business in Scotland has been sucked down to London because that is where the cheques are written. I want to try to change some of that.''
After the success of the 1997 Home Rule referendum, Mr Hamilton joined the SNP. His name was first linked last year to Business for Scotland. A formal statement about his appointment is expected soon.
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