The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Alan Yarrow, will visit Thailand this week to build bilateral ties and strengthen the City of London’s relationship with an important regional partner.

The Lord Mayor of London is a role which has existed for over 800 years, and today the Lord Mayor’s primary function is to act as an ambassador for the City of London and its financial services industry. He will be bringing a delegation of British business leaders keen to engage in the region with him to help facilitate the development of stronger economic ties.

In Thailand, the Lord Mayor will speak at an Ethics and Integrity workshop run by the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment, which he chairs. He will also meet a variety of senior figures, including the Deputy Secretary-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, senior representatives from the Thai Board of Trade and Thai Chamber of Commerce, Finance Minister Sommai Pasi, representatives from the Thai financial services sector, leading Thai companies and Thai investors in the UK, the Bank of Thailand Governor and the Secretary General of the Stock Exchange of Thailand. He will also attend a roundtable discussion on UK-Thai cooperation in the insurance sector to discuss insurance sector liberalisation and UK engagement on qualifications and capacity building. His visit aims to building understanding between the British business communities and their counterparts in Thailand, and explore new opportunities to work together to improve infrastructure and to further develop a sustainable and profitable financial services industry.

Speaking ahead of his visit, the Lord Mayor said:

“South East Asia is an important market for UK businesses, and the City is keen to develop a partnership with Thailand as a key regional player. I hope this visit will be instrumental in developing strong bilateral ties which will enable us to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities, and work towards a mutually prosperous future. I hope we can increase trade across financial and professional services, energy, infrastructure, education, healthcare and other areas. The City is here for the long haul; our commitment is strong and we hope to see more UK businesses working with Thailand to facilitate growth by introducing efficient products, services and global expertise, enhancing economic growth and supporting the creation of jobs and growth.”

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