Agenda item

Resolved unanimously – That the vote of thanks read informally at the last meeting of this Honourable Court be agreed, included in the Minutes of this meeting; and that it be fairly transcribed, signed by the Town Clerk and presented in a manner agreeable to the late Lord Mayor.

Resolved unanimously – That the Members of this Court take great pleasure in expressing to:

Alderman Fiona Woolf CBE, JP

their most sincere thanks for the distinguished way in which she has carried out the varied demands of the Office of Lord Mayor of the City of London over the past year.

She has been an exemplary ambassador for both the City of London and the United Kingdom, both at home and abroad, with diversity, sustainability, charity leadership and philanthropy the key themes of her year in Office. The “Power of Diversity” programme, which the Lord Mayor has championed since its launch in January, has now grown to encompass some 50 major employers.  The legacy of this programme will serve to help identify and promote the steps that the City, at all management levels, must take to maximise the energy and innovation that diversity can bring to business. As Lord Mayor she has taken the opportunity to address a wide range of City organisations about the business case for diversity and inclusion and she has supported a number of initiatives which will help to enable a broader discussion, at all levels, about how organisations interact with their diverse workforces. Her work with the Women’s Business Council and the Government Office for Equality throughout the year has been notable, and this commitment to diversity will see the Lord Mayor continue working with both the Senior Leaders' Forum and the mid-level network of affinity networks she has established, thus contributing towards a lasting legacy in this area.

The Lord Mayor has promoted the interests of the City, London and the nation around the World, visiting over 25 different countries; places as diverse as Hong Kong, India, Turkey and the Gulf region, and more recently Latin America, Africa and Vietnam. She also strengthened and highlighted links between the City and the wider UK economy, visiting regional business centres to promote her overseas visits programme and gathering messages to deploy abroad in order to represent the views of the entire UK based financial and business services.

Her attentions throughout the year, at home and abroad, have also centred on the theme of sustainability within the financial services sector. Indeed, her “Tomorrow’s People” programme has done much to promote collaboration with a focus on enhancing the opportunities for long-term value creation though infrastructure and sustainable urban development.  The Lord Mayor’s significant role in promoting UK expertise during the overseas visits programme has certainly enhanced the exposure of the UK’s engineering, financial and business support service industries. 

The Lord Mayor has acted as host at many special occasions in Guildhall and Mansion House during the past year, including two magnificent State Banquets, the London Gay PRIDE dinner; and the high-profile "Inclusive Capitalism" conference in May which was addressed by HRH The Prince of Wales, former President Bill Clinton, Christine Lagarde (Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund) and Mark Carney (Governor of the Bank of England).  Whilst such a diverse programme has placed huge demands on the Lord Mayor, her enthusiasm, dignity and good humour have been unfailing.

Her colleagues on this Court also wish to pay tribute to the Lord Mayor’s Consort, who has himself undertaken a varied programme with passion and commitment, particularly through his Chairmanship of the Lord Mayor’s Charity Appeal Programme. Thanks are due to Nicholas for his unstinting support and his many contributions are warmly acknowledged. In taking their leave of this, their 686th Lord Mayor, Honourable Members trust that, after a well-earned rest, the she will look back on a unique year with the greatest pleasure, a justifiable pride and immense satisfaction.