The 695th Lord Mayor of the Professor Michael Mainelli will highlight how London’s strengths in financial services, tech and access to talent provide it with the unparalleled global connections needed to become a world leader in the industries of the future such as space, artificial intelligence and quantum.
The Lord Mayor set out his theme – “Connect to Prosper” – in a set-piece speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet at Guildhall attended by business and political leaders including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
As part of “Connect to Prosper”, the Lord Mayor has launched the ‘695th Lord Mayor’s Ethical AI Initiative’, a scheme delivering ethics courses for those working in AI starting with over 100 registered financial firms.
Lord Mayor Michael Mainelli will say (please check against delivery):
“I think of the Square Mile as the world’s Coffee House. A place where thought leaders develop solutions to improve people’s lives. Built on the rule of law; with an enabling regulatory environment; access to incredible talent and skills; and unparalleled global connections; a place…in short…where people ‘Connect To Prosper.’
“The City is – rightly – known for its leadership in financial and professional services.
But we’re also now the biggest centre for tech in the country. With a workforce that includes scientists, engineers, and technicians, as well as bankers, insurers and lawyers.
“We are shining a spotlight on these and other areas of strength – what I think of as the City’s “Knowledge Miles” – by hosting an online lecture series with expert talks from City figures on topics from AI, to fusion, to quantum.”
The Lord Mayor will highlight that the is home to 40 learned societies, 70 higher education institutions, 130 research institutes, over 24,000 businesses – with more than 300 languages spoken. And will encourage greater connections between these institutions to find solutions to global challenges such as poor mental health and climate change.
As part of Connect to Prosper, over the summer, The Lord Mayor’s Appeal and its charity partner MQ Mental Health Research, along with Oxford University and the Wellcome Trust, launched GALENOS – an open access repository of scientific papers it’s hoped could speed up global mental health research by two to three years.
The Lord Mayor’s Banquet will also feature a keynote speech on international affairs by the Prime Minister and speeches from Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
ENDS
Notes to editors
The Corporation is 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 –
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