On the first Saturday of last November, Susan Langley DBE made the traditional, historic journey around the City of London in a procession which featured seven thousand participants, 250 horses, over 100 floats or marching groups, and tens of thousands of spectators. For the first time ever, this was officially billed as The Lady Mayor’s Show.

Pearly
Waving from her ceremonial gold state coach, the first female Lord Mayor to take the title’ Lady Mayor’ was able to observe the Square Mile of the City that she is determined to “unsquare” by highlighting its innovative style during her term of office. Her fresh approach is also typified by her being granted the honorary title of ‘lady pearly mayor’ by the Pearly Kings and Queens Association – fitting for a girl from the East End of London, born and raised in Whitechapel and West Ham.

The new Lady Mayor is the 697th incumbent of the post in a tradition that goes back to 1189. The previous two female holders of the position were Dame Mary (later Baroness) Donaldson, a former nurse, in 1983/4 and Dame Fiona Woolf, a lawyer, in 2013/14. Dame Susan Langley is the first to take the lady mayor title.

Strong women
Reflecting this decision, there was much attention on the role of women in the parade including Float No 24 – Strong Women, Strong Future: which proclaimed themselves “insurers, entrepreneurs and other strong women processing as part of 697 Women in support of Dame Susan Langley”. Among the float’s representatives were Amy Green, insurance specialist and chair of LCCI’s business crime committee, and Cathy Scott, the Chamber’s stakeholder engagement manager.

On and on
Charities aiming to raise their profile, the armed forces – regulars and reservists – livery companies, banks including the Bank of England, London Fire Brigade, China Chamber of Commerce in the UK, a premier league football club – West Ham United appropriately enough – business improvement districts, schools and colleges, and of course the pearly kings and queens … on and on went the three mile long procession, accompanied by military bands, wraparound music, and whoops and cheers from spectators.

Focussed
The new mayor of the city has an impressive background. A geography graduate, she travelled in Australia before working variously at Thomson Tour Operators, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Hiscox, Lloyds of London, Department for Business and Trade, Northern Rock, and Gallagher. Insurance is clearly a leitmotif.

The new Lady Mayor’s priorities for her year in office are clearly focussed:

  • Global leadership: solidifying London’s position as the world’s premier financial and professional services hub.
  • Reputation: enhancing the standing of the Square Mile and the UK on the world stage.
  • Business growth: Championing the conditions necessary for companies to thrive in the City.
  • Social impact: ensuring the City makes a positive contribution to wider society and attracts diverse talent.

“We are still the world’s leading financial centre but we must continue to innovate and look forward, not back, to drive long term prosperity for the UK economy,” she comments.