Re-Elect Professor Michael Mainelli as Alderman for Broad Street Ward on 19 December 2024

“Connect To Prosper”

My campaign motto celebrates the many Knowledge Miles of our Square Mile, the world’s coffee house. During my year as Lord Mayor “Connect To Prosper” promoted our City of London’s intense concentration of successful knowledge networks as the solution centre for our planet’s wicked problems, and our workforce grew in just 12 months from 615,000 to 678,000 workers, a 10% increase! As the creator of the Global Financial Centres, Smart Centres, and Global Green Finance indices, I know what makes cities work. As your Alderman since 2013, I know how to get things done.  Together we can make a success of our neighbourhood with:

  • Safe streets – traditional policing, crime prevention refuse collection, lighting, sensible licensing and traffic enforcement – my current focus is supporting my wife Elisabeth’s campaign to Prevent Violence Against Women & Girls & Domestic Abuse, as well as bicycle and e-bike safety;
  • Modern infrastructure – water, electricity, ICT, and transportation links, with robust defences against environmental damage and terrorism – my current focus is better broadband, WiFi, toilets, and bins;
  • Vibrant economy – fostering new and old businesses by setting policy and regulation that encourage new markets in the City and future success for the 678,000 of us already working here – my current focus is supporting the Lord Mayor on Growth Unleashed;
  • Community spirit – ensuring excellent services for those in need while enhancing intellectual and cultural life – my current focus is expanding King’s Day in Austin Friars, and having follow ups to the inaugural Pepys Day and Thames Day celebrations we started;
  • Competitive attractiveness – lobbying central government on better policies for education, taxation, and business, as well as promotion, to keep the City foremost in global finance, technology, education, and media – my current focus is developing a stronger London Chamber of Commerce & Industry as President from 1 January 2025, seeing through my six “Connect To Prosper” initiatives as Lord Mayor (mental health, ethical AI, smart economy networks, space protection, constructing science, sustainable finance), as well as campaigning for the UK to be included in the OECD’s PISA financial literacy programme and UK conformity with ISO 20022 to help our fintech industry.

I have had the privilege of serving as:

  • Lord Mayor of London (2023-2024) – my theme was “Connect To Prosper“, celebrating the many Knowledge Miles of our Square Mile, the world’s coffee house, during which year City of London jobs grew from 615,000 to 678,000 (!), an increase of over 10% – end-of-term report;
  • Sheriff of London (2019-2021) – alongside Deputy Chris Hayward, where due to Covid we were the first two Sheriffs since 1228 AD to serve a second term with a core programme of strengthening & simplifying anti-money laundering – end-of-term report.

My work on your behalf since 2013 has consisted of:

  • Ambassadorial – representing the City and Ward, including accompanying and receiving trade and investment delegations to and from Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Australasia, as well as 25 trade visits over 100 days as Lord Mayor. A significant number of businesses in finance and technology have located operations here thanks to such efforts.
  • Governance – promoting our Ward’s interests in the Corporation as a member of the Court of Aldermen and Common Council, as well as Policy & Resources, Finance, Markets, Planning & Transportation, Standards, and Gresham Committees.
  • Ward Support – helping develop our City Giving Day contributions and Ward Mights, lobbying for better broadband, running our ward website, presenting in companies and schools, organising tours of the Ward, promoting new Freemen and Liverymen, as well as being President of Broad Street Ward Club. 

We have made great progress in Broad Street Ward in several areas:

  • Redevelopment of Austin Friars, begun and finished on time in 2015, providing a lovely new heart to Broad Street Ward, as well an upgrade to Telegraph Street’s paving and amenities – we have plans for more social and community activities in Austin Friars, expanding on the success of the Dutch Church’s annual King’s Day.
  • Redevelopment at Angel Court, completed in 2017, Angel Court added 300,000 sq ft office building and 16,000 sq ft restaurant accommodation space;
  • Crossrail development at Liverpool Street, where the Elizabeth Line has now brought Heathrow within 40 minutes of our ward;
  • On-site shredder vans – we have practically eliminated the use of these vehicles.
  • Highspeed broadband, where we have worked with suppliers and introduced more competition in providing businesses with the ICT infrastructure they need;
  • Communications – we now have high-speed broadband throughout the City (though still more to do in our ward), strong web presence, and social media strengths.
  • Public space – we have dealt with noise, litter, graffiti, bicycle racks, deliveries, late night drinking, thefts, and public path blockages – following representations from concerned residents at 7 Lothbury we made strong representations at Guildhall concerning night time noise and disruption and parking breaches, and as a result we got agreement for permanent ‘no parking’ to be introduced outside this building. 

“I have known Michael as a fellow Council member since his election and as later in his roles as Sheriff and Lord Mayor. As Chief Commoner I have had the pleasure of working closely with Michael who is an incredibly hard working and inspirational figure. I am also an elector of Broad Street Ward and know Michael to be a hard-working elected representative for the Ward for both workers and residents and I am delighted to be supporting him.”

Peter Dunphy, Chief Commoner of the City of London

“Michael has been a hard working Alderman for Broad Street since 2013 and it was a privilege to work together as Sheriffs of the City four years ago. He has served with distinction as Lord Mayor and I urge you to re-elect him for a further term.”

Christopher M Hayward, Policy Chairman, City of London Corporation 

The pre-election Wardmote will be held at Furniture Makers’ Hall at midday on Wednesday, 18 December 2024.

Please give me, Michael Mainelli, your vote by postal ballot (online or by form) or by voting in person on Thursday, 19 December 2024, at 12 Austin Friars, London EC2N 2HE from 08:00 to 20:00.

I walk through the Ward every day to and from work and would be delighted to discuss Ward business directly with you. Contact me via email michael_mainelli@zyen.com, or by post to Professor Michael Mainelli, Chairman, Z/Yen Group, 1 King William St, London EC4N 7AF to schedule a call or meeting, or to make comments or observations.

Professor Michael Mainelli FCCA FCSI (Hon) FBCS, Executive Chairman, Z/Yen Group

President of Broad Street Ward Club since 2013 and a former Chairman (2004-2005), Michael has worked in the Ward since 1984, walking the length of the Ward most days to and from home in Wapping.

Michael is a scientist and economist trying to promote societal advance through better finance and technology.  Originally a research scientist in aerospace (rocket science) and computing (architecture & cartography), educated at Harvard and Trinity College Dublin, he gained his PhD from the London School of Economics, where he was also Visiting Professor in innovation and IT.  He became a senior partner of accountants BDO Binder Hamlyn, and Corporate Development Director for the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Evaluation & Research Agency.  During a mergers & acquisitions spell in merchant banking with Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, in 1994 he founded Z/Yen, the City of London’s leading think-tank.  Z/Yen is renowned for its Global Financial, Green Finance, and Smart Centres indices, as well as notable ‘firsts’ in technology research.  Michael has advised numerous governments and municipalities around the world on developing commercial, financial & technology centres.  

Michael is a Professor Emeritus and Life Fellow of Gresham College, Fellow of King’s College London, Birkbeck College, and Goodenough College, Honorary Visiting Professor of City St George’s, Visiting Professor at UCL’s Bartlett School, Honorary Bencher of Middle Temple, and non-executive Director of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service and a listed mining company.  He is active in fourteen livery companies, past Master of the World Traders, an Alderman of the City of London for Broad Street, late Lord Mayor (2023-2024), and Sheriff (2019-2021), with charity interests in the environment, education, and care.  His third book, written with Ian Harris, The Price Of Fish: A New Approach To Wicked Economics And Better Decisions, won the Independent Publisher Book Awards Finance, Investment & Economics Gold Prize. 

Broad Street’s traditional mascot is the famous panto cat of its Alderman, Dick Whittingon (1354-1423).

Promoted by Dr Trevor Brignall, The Worshipful Company of Marketors, Plaisterers’ Hall, London EC2Y 5JU on behalf of Professor Michael Mainelli, Z/Yen Group Limited, 1 King William Street, London EC4N 7AF.