London,
22
May
2015
|
07:00
Europe/London

London’s Lord Mayor looks to build financial ties with Malaysia

The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Alan Yarrow, is to lead a business delegation to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, selling the City of London and the UK as the regional partner of choice when it comes to financial and professional services.

The Lord Mayor, who was born in Johor Bahru, acts as ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services, and will be meeting with senior members of the government, investment authorities, regulators and business leaders. Other notable events he will take part in include:

  • Giving the keynote address at the Islamic Finance News (IFN) Asia Forum 2015, the premier Islamic Finance event in the region.
  • Hosting a reception with the British Malaysia Chamber of Commerce titled the “Economic Outlook from the City of London.”
  • Attending the signing ceremony to mark the partnership between HELP University, Kuala Lumpur, and the UK’s Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment – the largest global professional body for those who work in the securities and investment industry
  • Participating in a roundtable which looks developing a new generation of Islamic bankers.

Speaking ahead of his trip, Lord Mayor Yarrow said:

“Building partnership between our two countries is the main goal of my visit this week. I want to make sure that the City of London and the rest of the UK are Malaysia’s first thought when they want to do business.

“This is particularly the case for those working in the market of Islamic Finance where we are the leading industry players outside the Islamic world. Our expertise in Sharia-compliant products is second-to-none in the Western world so I will be championing our firms here and looking to build bridges for potential new partnerships in Malaysia.”

Notes to editors

About the Lord Mayor of the City of London

  • The Lord Mayor is head of the Square Mile’s City of London authority for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. It is an exceptionally demanding role. The Lord Mayor spends some 90 days abroad and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each month (making around 800 speeches a year). The Lord Mayor represents City businesses and helps the City Corporation advise the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City; and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister. The Lord Mayor meets several international Heads of Government and Business each month to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.