The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Peter Estlin will visit Edinburgh and Glasgow next week (4-6 March) to strengthen links between London and Scotland.

The Lord Mayor serves as an international ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services sector and will lead business delegations to around 30 key global markets. As part of his visit next week he will be inviting Scottish businesses to join him on these overseas trade missions to take advantage of new opportunities around the world.

He will be holding meetings with leaders of a range of firms and organisations including Burness Paull, Aberdeen Standard Life, Baillie Gifford, the Law Society of Scotland and Scottish Financial Enterprise. The Lord Mayor will also meet with the Finance Secretary of Scotland Derek Mackay, following the Scottish First Minister’s visit to The Mansion House earlier this year to celebrate Burns Night.

Meetings are expected to focus on the London-Scotland relationship post-Brexit, and how we can work together to ensure the UK financial sector remains a world leader and centre of innovation. The Lord Mayor will also talk to Scottish firms about the benefits of opening an office in London.

The Lord Mayor will also be promoting innovation and technology, championing digital skills and addressing digital and social inclusion as part of his “Shaping Tomorrow’s City Today” programme.
 

Lord Mayor of the City of London Peter Estlin said:

“My visit to Scotland comes at a crucial time for the UK, with Brexit imminent. 

“The partnership between London and Scotland has an important role to play in ensuring that the UK remains a world leading financial hub.

“Edinburgh and Glasgow are innovative cities with an increasingly vibrant financial and digital offer. I look forward to exploring how we can build on our mutually beneficial relationship.”
 

Scotland’s financial sector generates around £8 billion for the Scottish economy, more than eight per cent of Scottish onshore economic activity. Managing over £800 billion of funds, the industry employs 161,000 people, and accounts for 24 per cent of all UK employment in life assurance, and 13 per cent of all banking employment.

In April 2018, the City of London Corporation decided to double resources committed to its regional strategy. This specifically set out that the City of London would work to strengthen links with cities across the UK on a number of key issues, including inward investment, trade links and raising awareness of export opportunities.

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. About the Lord Mayor of the City of London:

• The Lord Mayor is the elected head of the City of London Corporation for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical.
• The Lord Mayor is an international ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services sector.
• More information on the Lord Mayor can be found here.

2. The City of London 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. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

For more information contact

Nathan Rodgers, Financial Services Media Officer
0207 332 3451
nathan.rodgers@cityoflondon.gov.uk