Nick Hewer OC’62

Hewer is a retired television presenter, company director (and former public relations consultant. From 2005 to 2014, he appeared as Alan Sugar's adviser in the UK series The Apprentice. From 2012 to 2021, he presented the Channel 4 programme Countdown Hewer was born in Swindon although his parents met when they both were university students in Dublin. Hewer was educated at Clongowes Wood College and secured a place to study law at Trinity College, Dublin. However his parents could not afford the fees. Hewer moved to London in the 1960s, aged 20, to join a public relations (PR) consultancy as a trainee. Within six years, he had joined the board and bought out the owner, becoming the sole shareholder. His PR company was hired by Amstrad to represent in 1983 where spent 21 years in the management group. In 1988 he sold his PR agency. Ever since Hewer has been used in various ways; for example, in 2012, he was one of many celebrities to help promote the change in the UK pension scheme to automatic enrolment. In 2013, he worked with Vista Print on their "Build Your Small Business" campaign, and in 2014 worked with Bark.com to promote its services marketplace product. Hewer married Margo Spindler in 1973; they had two children and in 1985 were divorced. His son, James, briefly acted as co-director of his father's company.