Sharon Bowles

Personal

Born in Oxford and educated at Our Lady's Convent, Abingdon; Reading University (Chemical Physics with Mathematics); Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University (research into semiconductors)

Sharon is a Chartered Patent Attorney; Registered Trade Mark Agent; European Patent Attorney ; Professional Representative before the Office for Harmonisation of the Single Market (European Trade Mark and Designs Office)

After training for professional qualification with leading London firms, Sharon established a new professional practice in 1981, now the Bowles Horton partnership. Sharon has drafted and prosecuted patents for leading edge companies over a wide range of technical fields including integrated circuit design and production, internet technology, satellite equipment, telecommunications, optical fibre technology, fermentation measurement, aerodynamics and hydrocarbon extraction.

In August 2014 she became a non-executive director of the London Stock Exchange Group PLC.

Sharon is married to Andrew Horton (European Patent Attorney), with sons Remy and Damian.

Sharon has competed at national/international level in rowing and archery.

Political

Sharon was a member of the European Parliament for the South East Region from 2005 until 2014.

In 2009 Sharon made history by being elected as the first Liberal and first Briton to Chair the Parliament's influential Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, putting her at the heart of the EU’s response to the financial and Eurozone crisis. She received many plaudits as Chair, and is regularly named as one of the most influential figures in European finance. She was number 48 on The Times newspaper's 100 people to watch in 2012 list.

Sharon also served as a substitute on the delegation for relations with the United States of America and was a substitute member of the Legal Affairs committee.

She became a member of the House of Lords in 2015.

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