1. Michael Bruce Baird was born on 1 April 1968 and is an Australian investment banker and former politician who was the 44th Premier of New South Wales, the Minister for Infrastructure, the Minister for Western Sydney, and the Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party from April 2014 to January 2017.
Mike Baird represented the electoral district of Manly in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the Liberal Party from 2007 to 2017.
On 19 January 2017, Mike Baird announced his intention to step down and on 23 January he resigned as Premier and member for Manly.
Mike Baird's father was Deputy Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and Member of Parliament representing the electoral district of Northcott, and later a Member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Division of Cook, for the Liberal Party.
Mike Baird attended The King's School, Parramatta, and spent time living in the US while his father served as head of the Australian trade commission in New York City.
Mike Baird graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with majors in Economics and Government from the University of Sydney in 1989.
Mike Baird studied at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, initially intending to enter the Anglican ministry, but while there decided to pursue a career in investment banking and later politics.
In 1999, Mike Baird unsuccessfully sought preselection for the seat of Manly.
Mike Baird then returned to investment banking, working for the National Australia Bank for a time in London, before returning to Sydney to work for HSBC Australia.
Mike Baird has campaigned against dangerous drinking, voted against embryonic stem research and euthanasia, does not support same-sex marriage or same-sex adoption and has stated that his strongest preference is not to support abortion in most circumstances.
Mike Baird is strongly in favour of Australia becoming a republic.
Mike Baird immediately reshuffled the ministry elevating Andrew Constance into the Treasury portfolio and increasing Andrew Stoner's ministries to five in preparation for the 2015 state election.
Mike Baird believes that he has a great opportunity to help people by making responsible decisions about the money from this state.
At the 2015 election, Mike Baird led the Liberal-National Coalition to a second term.
Ultimately, Mike Baird won a full term, though he lost 15 seats from the massive majority he'd inherited from O'Farrell.
Mike Baird is only the fourth state Liberal leader, after Sir Robert Askin, Nick Greiner and O'Farrell, to win an election in New South Wales since the main non-Labor party adopted the Liberal banner in 1945.
Mike Baird had publicly advocated for the tough Sydney lockout laws and on 9 February 2016 posted a Facebook response to an article published by Matt Barrie condemning the Premier's actions.
Mike Baird's response gained international attention after the post received over 10,000 likes - along with more than 10,000 comments that were mostly critical of the Premier's stance on the laws.
On 19 January 2017, Mike Baird announced he was retiring from politics, with his resignation to be effective after a leadership spill the following week.
Mike Baird reversed an earlier decision to ban greyhound racing in the face of significant community pressure, especially from the Nationals.
In February 2017, Mike Baird was appointed Chief Customer Officer at National Australia Bank.
Mike Baird was paid a total of A$2.29 million in 2018.
In 2019, NAB executives forfeited their short-term bonuses, resulting in Mike Baird earning the lesser total of A$1.7 million for that year.
In October 2021, Mike Baird gave evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption regarding Gladys Berejiklian's relationship with disgraced Liberal MP Daryl Maguire.
Mike Baird's sister is journalist Julia Baird, presenter of ABC's The Drum TV program and a bestselling author.
Mike Baird is a long time friend of former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott and they regularly surf together off the Northern Beaches.
Mike Baird is a supporter of NRL club the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.
In 2016, Sydney DJ Tom Budin released a song named "Mike Baird", which mocked and protested against the Sydney lockout laws, which were introduced in February 2014, two months before Baird became the Premier of New South Wales.