Declaring My Candidature For Sheriff Of The City Of London 2019/2020 –

17 March 2019

Election of Sheriffs for the City of London – Monday, 24th June 2019

Candidature of Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli FCCA Chartered FCSI(Hon) FBCS

To the Liverymen of the City of London

My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Common Hall

With a sense of honour and enthusiasm, I offer myself to the Livery for election at Common Hall to be held at Guildhall on Monday, 24th June, at 12 noon.  My colleagues on the Court of Aldermen support my candicacy, as they did last year, as their candidate for the ancient office of Sheriff of the City of London for 2019/20.  If a poll is demanded, I would like to ask for your support by voting in my favour at the ballot on Monday, 8th July 2019, also at Guildhall.

Continue reading

Gresham Professors – Stand-up or Stand-down?

A talk given to one of my favourite communities:

 “Stand Up Or Stand Down”

Gresham Society AGM & Dinner

14 February 2019, National Liberal Club

The Gresham Society is a very serious organisation.  A Gresham lecture is supposed to be a serious intellectual occasion.  A Gresham Society address therefore should be an especially heavy and ponderous event.  I hope to disappoint.  Continue reading

Obverse and Reverse – Flip The Coin

I was delighted to see the final struck coin for next year’s quincentenary celebrations of Sir Thomas Gresham (1519-1579).  We, Z/Yen, ordered them to contribute to the celebrations.  The coin was designed by Xenia Mainelli (yes, a relation, one of my two cherished daughters).  This is the culmination of a four year, £250,000 project.  Yes, this has been rather a “challenge coin“. Continue reading

2018 Aldermanic Campaign Closes

I was delighted to receive the following “Statement of Persons Nominated” from Guildhall just after noon today.  This means that the campaign is now closed with one candidate, unopposed.  I would like to thank all of my supporters, but particularly my election agent and my five nominators:

  • Election Agent – Ms Ruby Sayed (Barrister), Temple
  • Proposer – Mr Nicholas Westgarth, Worshipful Company of International Bankers, Austin Friars
  • Seconder – Mr Karl Craig, Canaccord Genuity, Lothbury
  • Subscriber – Ms Mei Sim Lai OBE, Lai Peters, New Broad Street
  • Subscriber – Mr Roger Sanders OBE, Lighthouse Group, Throgmorton Street
  • Subscriber – Ms Elizabeth Corrin, China Construction Bank, Old Broad Street

I would also like to thank numerous voters in the Ward for their kind message, the many supporters at Broad Street Ward Club’s annual luncheon yesterday, and the kind messages online via LinkedIn and Twitter.  I shall do my best to serve the Ward over the next six years, along with the civic team who generously gave their unreserved support:

  • Deputy John Bennett
  • Chief Commoner John Scott JP
  • Chris Hayward CC

We want to continue trying to deliver more by Working for the City, Working for the Ward, Working for You.

There will still be a Wardmote at noon on Wednesday, 12 December, though no election on 13 December, at Carpenters’ Hall, 1 Throgmorton Avenue, London EC2N 2JJ.  All are welcome to attend  the installation on 12 December.  Feel free to let me know if you’re coming.

2018 Campaign – Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli

Re-Elect Professor Michael Mainelli

for Alderman of Broad Street

“Bright Lights, Better City”

My campaign motto highlights the City’s brainpower, attractions, and traditional freedoms.

I am honoured to have the support of our three Common Councilmen, Deputy John Bennett, Chief Commoner John Scott JP, and Chris Hayward.

A former Chairman (2004-2005) of the Broad Street Ward Club, Immediate Past Master of the Worshipful Company of World Traders, Freeman of the Watermen & Lightermen, and an Honorary Liveryman of the Furniture Makers and Water Conservators, Michael has worked in the Ward since 1984, walking the length of the Ward every day to and from home in Wapping.

Michael has achieved much in his first term as Alderman, working hard and well with our Civic Team.  We urge you to return him to work with us in the future.”                    

            Chief Commoner John Scott JP


Please give me, Michael Mainelli, your vote by postal ballot or by voting in person on

Thursday, 13 December 2018

Polling Station

Carpenters’ Hall, 1 Throgmorton Avenue,

London EC2N 2JJ

Polls are open from 8:00am to 8:00pm

The pre-election Wardmote will be held at Carpenter’s Hall at midday on Wednesday, 12 December 2018

www.broadstreetward.org.uk

@broadstreetward

I walk through the Ward every day, to and from work, and would be delighted to discuss Ward business.

Contact me by telephone 020 7562-9562, or via email michael_mainelli@zyen.com, or by post to Z/Yen Group, 41 Lothbury, London EC2R 7HG.  For more campaign details see www.mainelli.org and @mrmainelli.


Aldermen and Common Councilmen are the unpaid volunteers who keep our community working.  In tough times for the City, with fierce international competition among financial centres, increasing uncertainty in financial services, more regulation, rising costs, and tight budgets, these volunteers are vital.

As the creator of the Global Financial Centres Index, I know what makes cities work.  Together we can make a success of our neighbourhood with a manifesto of:

  • safe streets – traditional policing, crime prevention, refuse collection, lighting, sensible licensing, and traffic enforcement;
  • modern infrastructure – water, electricity, ICT, and transportation links with robust defences against environmental damage and terrorism;
  • vibrant economy – fostering new and old businesses by setting policy and regulation that encourage new markets in the City and future success for the 483,000 of us already working here;
  • community spirit – ensuring excellent services for those in need, while enhancing intellectual and cultural life;
  • 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, and media.

We have made great progress in Broad Street Ward in three major areas:

  • Refurbishment and all-but-pedestrianisation of Austin Friars – completed on budget and on time.  We have plans for more social and community activities in this area.  Please do look out next year for a street market.
  • On-site shredder vans – an outright ban seems a ways off, but we have reduced these vehicles to almost the minimum.
  • Communications – we now have high-speed broadband throughout the City and our website is in its fifth year.  @broadstreetward tries to ‘follow’ all businesses and people in the Ward, so please do ‘follow’ us by return!

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

My work on your behalf over the past five years 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. A number of businesses in finance and technology have located operations here thanks to such efforts.
  • Governance – promoting our interests in the Corporation as a member of the Court of Aldermen and Common Council, as well as Finance, Markets, Planning & Transportation, Standards, and Gresham Committees.
  • Ward Support – helping develop our City Giving Day contributions and Ward Mights, presenting in companies and schools, organising tours of the Ward, promoting new Freemen (ask if you’d like to become one), as well as being President of Broad Street Ward Club. 

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

A qualified accountant, securities professional, computer specialist, and management consultant, educated at Harvard University and Trinity College Dublin, Michael gained his PhD at London School of Economics where he was also a Visiting Professor.  He began his career as a research scientist, later becoming an accountancy-firm partner with BDO Binder Hamlyn and a director of Ministry of Defence research.  During a spell in merchant banking with Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, he co-founded Z/Yen, the City of London’s leading commercial think-tank.  He has led Z/Yen from creating smart ledgers (aka blockchains) through the Financial £aboratory, Taskforce 2000, Global Financial Centres Index, Global Green Finance Index, and Global Intellectual Property Index.

In 2005, Michael initiated Long Finance’s London Accord, an agreement among 65 investment research teams to work together on environmental, social, and governance issues, which includes Ward firms such as Canaccord Genuity, ING, and Deutsche Bank.  Michael’s civic work includes serving as Emeritus Professor of Commerce, Fellow & Trustee at Gresham College – the City’s ‘Tudor Open University’; Almoner (governor) for Christ’s Hospital – the City’s charitable boarding school; Trustee of Morden College; former London Waterways Commissioner; and Patron to several charities, such as CARA and Sea-Change Sailing Trust.

Michael is a non-executive director of two listed firms and the United Kingdom Accreditation Services overseeing UK laboratories and quality standards.  He was British Computer Society Director of the Year in 2005 and given Hons by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment in 2018.  His third book, The Price of Fish: A New Approach to Wicked Economics and Better Decisions, won the 2012 Independent Publisher Book Awards Finance, Investment & Economics Gold Prize.


Promoted by Ms Ruby Sayed CC, One Pump Court Chambers, Elm Court, Temple, London EC4Y 7AH,

on behalf of Professor Michael Mainelli, Z/Yen Group Limited, 41 Lothbury, London EC2R 7HG.

2018 Aldermanic Campaign Begins

It is customary for Aldermen to give an undertaking to surrender their office at least every six years.  Elected in July 2013, I have taken the opportunity, in advance of running for Sheriff next year, to submit my resignation of office to the Court of Aldermen on 9 November.  At the same time, I also indicated my intention to seek re-election.  I submitted my nomination papers to the City of London Corporation on 16 November.  If the election is contested, it shall be held on 13 December.

I would like to thank profusely for their support of my nomination:

  • Proposer – Mr Nicholas Westgarth, Worshipful Company of International Bankers, Austin Friars
  • Seconder – Mr Karl Craig, Canaccord Genuity, Lothbury
  • Subscriber – Ms Mei Sim Lai OBE, Lai Peters, New Broad Street
  • Subscriber – Mr Roger Sanders OBE, Lighthouse Group, Throgmorton Street
  • Subscriber – Ms Elizabeth Corrin, China Construction Bank, Old Broad Street
  • Election Agent – Ms Ruby Sayed (Barrister), Temple

World Record For World Traders

London, 29 October 2018: The Worshipful Company of World Traders is delighted to announce that it has broken the Guinness World Record for the “most nationalities in a simultaneous popular music sing-along”.http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/415296-most-nationalities-in-a-simultaneous-popular-music-sing-along

On 8 October 2018, with support from Goodenough College and Voices of London, the Worshipful Company of World Traders set a new record with 245 people from 84 nationalities singing “Imagine”, “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”, and “Mama Mia!”. London Business School set a record for 72 nationalities in 2016.

The attempt was the brainchild of Master of the World Traders 2017-2018, Professor Michael Mainelli, who decided that the World Traders could do something to celebrate inclusion during times of apparent division, “Our Company motto is ‘Commerce and honest friendship with all’.  With trade wars popping up everywhere, our idea was to show global unity here in London with everyone around the world.  The World Traders are delighted to be the first Livery Company of the City of London to achieve a Guinness World Record.

Setting a Guinness World Record is a demanding task. Independent Witnesses with experience of checking passports are requisite, and so the World Traders recruited Martin Lloyd, author of “The Passport: The History Of Man’s Most Travelled Document” for the attempt, as well as a legal witness from Mishcon de Reya. We also needed six Stewards, each responsible for a zone with a maximum of 50 singers, who had to verify that all the singers participated.  Stewards and witnesses had to sign a confirmation that they were satisfied with the all aspects of the event that were under their jurisdiction.  Mary Hardy, the Choirmaster, and Norman Rose, the pianist, ran everyone through their paces twice over.

Lars B Andersen at the tensest moment.

Lars B Andersen, the Liveryman of the World Traders who coordinated the record attempt, said: “In the end, we uploaded more than 53 GB of data in 44 files to prove that our attempt was valid. After a lot of work planning this event, we were so pleased to hear that Guinness World Records approved our record on 24 October.”

Rebecca Matthews, Director of Goodenough College, commented, “Goodenough College is home to postgraduate students of over 80 different nationalities. We are incredibly proud of our strong links with the Worshipful Company of World Traders and share the same belief in (intellectual) ‘Commerce and Honest Friendship with all’.  As such we were pleased to be able to celebrate our unique diversity by taking part in this World Record attempt. I know that our many talented Members were honoured to be able to represent themselves, their home nation and Goodenough College on the evening, and it was a fitting event to demonstrate the unique culture fostered here at Goodenough.”

Philosophical musings

Your essay on reinventing liberalism for the 21st century was a wide-ranging, refreshing reminder of where we’ve been, where we are and how we need to improve (September 15th). As you said, “the core liberal causes of individual freedom, free trade and free markets have been the most powerful engine for creating prosperity in all history.” Significantly, at only two points did your essay mention “capitalism”, and even then as something adjacent to free markets rather than integral to them.

Moving forward, liberals need to be clear that their support for free markets does not equate to support for capitalism. The ownership of the means of production clearly merits discussion, but what liberals should all agree upon is that making choices in free markets is a fundamental part of human freedom.

Professor Michael Mainelli
Master
Worshipful Company of World Traders
London

18 October 2018 – https://www.economist.com/letters/2018/10/20/letters-to-the-editor