London,
09
October
2017
|
12:09
Europe/London

Regional visit to Northern Ireland marks the end of City of London Lord Mayor’s term

Lord Mayor of the City of London, Dr Andrew Parmley, will be visiting Belfast and Derry / Londonderry on 10-11 October to strengthen ties in the financial and related professional services sector. Joined by the City Corporation’s Policy and Resources Chairman and Special Representative to the EU, it will be the first time the City’s most senior figures will embark on a joint visit to the region.

As part of the visit, the City’s 689th Lord Mayor will meet a number of senior representatives to discuss how both London and Belfast can continue to thrive post-Brexit, and how to strengthen key areas of technological collaboration - such as FinTech and Blockchain.

The visit marks the first time the Lord Mayor will be accompanied by the City Corporation’s Policy Chairman Catherine McGuinness and its Special Representative to the EU, Jeremy Browne. Brexit will be a central topic of many of the meetings, in which the City figures can discuss issues ahead of the UK leaving the bloc in March 2019.

It is the final visit the Lord Mayor will make in his role as the most senior representative of the UK’s financial and related professional services sector before his year-long term ends next month.

Northern Ireland is one of the world’s leading financial services centres for attracting FinTech investments. The UK has supported development in technological advancements by choosing Belfast as the prime location for its national innovation and knowledge centre for cyber security, the Centre for Secure IT (CSIT). The Lord Mayor will visit the Centre as part of his visit.

There are around 1,200 financial services companies based in Northern Ireland, employing approximately 33,000 people.

Commenting on the visit, Lord Mayor Andrew Parmley said:

“Northern Ireland’s financial services sector has seen exponential growth in recent years, thanks to its technological innovations, skilled workforce, competitive cost of property and ability to attract inward investment.

“I want to ensure that this trend continues and am delighted to be visiting the region. It is now more important than ever that our two regions continue seamless and regular dialogue to ensure shared prosperity.

“As my term draws to a close I know just how determined the London’s financial sector is in maintaining a strong bond with Northern Ireland. I am confident that our close collaboration will continue for years to come, to the benefit of the whole UK.”

The Lord Mayor is scheduled to meet Belfast’s Lord Mayor, Nuala McAllister; the Global Research Institute Director, Professor John McCanny; the Deputy Mayor of Derry City, John Boyle; and the Head of Business Development at the Intelligent Systems Research Centre, Peter Divine.

As part of his term, the Lord Mayor has already visited 25 countries across the world including, Hong Kong, Pakistan, China, South Africa and Mexico.

-ENDS-

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.
  • On average, the Lord Mayor will meet one head of state a month and will meet a prime minister or finance minister each week to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor, who is unpaid, lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.

More information on the Lord Mayor can be found here.

Media contact:

Millie Allen | Financial Services Media Officer, City of London Corporation

millie.allen@cityoflondon.gov.uk 

D: 0207 332 1388

M: 07710 860 886