The role of the Lord Mayor
An international ambassador
The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of the City of London is an international ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services sector.
The UK is a world leading international financial centre and the top net exporter of finance worldwide. The global gateway for financial and professional services (FPS) businesses, it offers an open financial centre with unparalleled reach, deep, liquid pools of capital, and a significant presence of international investors.
The UK ranks top for FPS innovation. Here firms can access a one-of-a-kind innovation ecosystem. This brings together strong policy support, finance and access to global markets and future-focused talent from world-leading FPS and tech.
The UK is the leading international financial centre for sustainable finance. It offers a one stop shop to investors, firms and governments who will find a full spectrum of sustainable services and products.
Together, FPS employ 2.3m people across the UK, with two thirds of these jobs outside of London. There are plenty of good stories to tell and it is the Lord Mayor’s job to tell them, at home and abroad.
Head of the City of London Corporation
The Lord Mayor also heads the City of London Corporation, the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. Together with other leading members of the City Corporation he makes sure that the City’s interests are reflected in local and national policy.
Within the City’s boundaries, only the Sovereign takes precedence. During his year in office the Lord Mayor hosts diverse visiting heads of state, heads of government and other foreign dignitaries on behalf of His Majesty and HM Government.
The Lord Mayor works closely with the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, although they have distinct and separate responsibilities.
The Role of the City Sheriffs
In order to become Lord Mayor, one must be an Aldermanic Sheriff first.
The Sheriffs support the Lord Mayor, they advise him on matters important to the City, help with hosting dinners for visiting dignitaries, and travel with him in his business visits. They also look after the Judges at the Old Bailey and make sure that the court's business runs smoothly.
They are elected each year on Midsummer's day by the City livery companies. One must be an Alderman - the senior representative of one of the City's Wards, and another elected position - and both Sheriffs need to be members of a livery company. Their tenure is one year and runs from September to September.
The Lord Mayor on X
The Lord Mayor’s Appeal
The Lord Mayor’s Appeal is an important part of the Lord Mayor’s role. It continues with its vision and ambition of creating, through four strategic pillars, A Better City for All by supporting charity partners and continuing thought leadership initiatives – Power of Inclusion, This is Me, She Can Be and City Giving Day.
One of the charity partners continuing to be supported is The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The partnership will enable the scheme to extend its reach in London, supporting its ambition for a further 10,000 young people to have the chance to undertake and achieve an Award. This will give these young people the structured programmes of volunteering, physical and skills-based challenges to inspire, guide and support young people to succeed. They will focus on growing provision in areas of deprivation, financing participations, expedition equipment and DofE leader training so that costs are not a barrier to taking part.