Overview

• Sir Tom Farmer, born in Leith, Edinburgh in 1940, founded Kwik Fit in 1971 and grew it into the world’s largest independent tyre and automotive chain before selling it to Ford for £1 billion in 1999.
• He was a prominent philanthropist, receiving numerous accolades, including the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy, a CBE in 1990, and a knighthood in 1997.
• Farmer owned a majority stake in Hibernian Football Club for over two decades, rescuing the club from financial trouble and emphasizing its community value before selling his interest in 2019.
• Tributes poured in from figures such as First Minister John Swinney and Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, who praised his contributions to Scottish business, community, and philanthropy.
• A devout Roman Catholic, Farmer credited his late wife Anne, whom he married in 1966, as a key influence on his success; he is survived by two children and four grandchildren.