Lord Mayor Elect

The Lord Mayor's Show Lord Mayor Elect

City of London elects a new Lord Mayor every year. The Lord Mayor must have served as a Sheriff of the City, and since 1435 he or she has been chosen from among the City's Aldermen.

The election happens at Michaelmas, which is the 29th of September. The chosen candidate is known as the 'Lord Mayor Elect' until the day before the Lord Mayor's Show, when he or she is sworn into office in the Silent Ceremony. The Lord Mayor's Show then completes the process by delivering the new Lord Mayor to Westminster to swear loyalty to the Crown.

The 695th Lord Mayor of London will be Alderman Michael Mainelli of the Broad Street Ward, who will succeed current Lord Mayor Nicholas Lyons. Alderman Mainelli is a qualified accountant, securities professional, computer specialist and management consultant, educated at Harvard University and Trinity College Dublin. He gained his PhD at London School of Economics, where he was also a Visiting Professor.

I am deeply honoured to have been elected as the 695th Lord Mayor of the City of London. As its global ambassador, I will champion the UK financial and professional services industry – not only as a powerhouse of the UK economy – but also a driver of prosperity to key markets abroad.
Alderman Michael Mainelli

The duty of the Lord Mayor, both traditionally and in the modern world, is to promote and represent the City of London. Alderman Mainelli will serve as a global ambassador for the UK-based financial and professional services industry.

During his Mayoral year, Alderman Mainelli will champion ‘Connect to Prosper’, an initiative focused on harnessing the City's vast knowledge ecosystem. With over 40 learned societies, 70 higher education institutions, and 130 research institutes, in and around the City, it is a dynamic hub for innovation. It will bring together thought leaders from the business, scientific, and academic worlds to demonstrate the City’s strengths in solving global challenges.

Alderman Mainelli said “together we will showcase the Square Mile’s unique leadership role as the world’s coffeehouse, where connections between firms, institutions, and people, lead to new ideas and solutions that benefit the world.”

He will spotlight the City's expertise in areas including finance, law, art, and engineering, while bringing together thought leaders from diverse backgrounds to encourage innovation and global problem solving on critical challenges facing the world - from climate change to artificial intelligence.

He will also emphasise the City's unique role as a global knowledge connector and talent cluster, showcasing its capacity to address global challenges and foster inventiveness within its communities.