Sir William Anthony Bowater Russell (Alderman)

Alderman William Russell took office as the 692^nd Lord Mayor of the City of London on 8^th November 2019 and, due to the extraordinary circumstances arising from the global health pandemic COVID-19, served two consecutive years in office, becoming the first Lord Mayor to do so since 1861. William served as a Sheriff of the City of London in 2016-17 and in that capacity, supported the then Lord Mayor, undertaking numerous visits and official functions.

William has over thirty years’ experience in the financial and business City including holding senior positions in the national and international Banking sector. In 1987 he went to work for First Boston Corporation before joining Merrill Lynch in 1992 as an Investment Banker in Institutional Equity Sales, working in Asia, New York and London. William is currently Chair of CDAM, a London based Asset Management business and Senior Advisor to STJ Advisors.

William served on the Board of Innovate Finance, the industry body for the UK based Fintech community and is also an educational entrepreneur, as the co-Founder and Chair of Knightsbridge School and a Director of Knightsbridge School International (KSI). William is also a member of the Campaign Board for Durham Inspired.

Alderman Russell has a number of charitable interests: he has served as Chair of the Development Board of the Royal Court Theatre; he is a Board Member of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama; he is also on the Council of the Royal Theatrical Support Trust. He is immediate past Chair of Prostate Cancer UK and is currently Deputy Chair of Place2Be, a children’s mental health charity. As of July 2019 he is a member of the Barbican Centre Board.

William was elected Alderman for the Ward of Bread Street in March 2013 and has since served on a number of the City of London Corporation Committees including the Policy & Resources Committee and the Education Board. William is also a Governor of the City of London School for Girls and is a past Governor of the Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls, Adams Grammar School and Abraham Darby Academy. William is a Court Assistant to both the Haberdashers’ and the Feltmakers’ Livery Companies, as well as an Honorary Liveryman of the Paviors’ Company.