Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli: A Remarkable Leader Set to Become Lord Mayor
I am pleased to announce that I had the honour of introducing my dear friend, Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli, as the Lord Mayor Elect. This momentous occasion took place at the House of Lords, where we, along with my fellow Aldermen, presented Michael to the Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk for the Sovereign’s approval. Michael will officially assume office at the Silent Ceremony this Friday at Guildhall.
In his introduction to the Lord Chancellor, the Recorder of London, His Honour Judge Mark Lucraft, highlighted Michael’s outstanding career in both private and public sectors. What sets Michael apart is not only his impressive intellect but also his unwavering integrity. He is a man of sound moral judgment coupled with a wealth of impactful work—a true gem.
Michael serves as the Chairman of Z/Yen, holds the position of Emeritus Professor of Commerce at Gresham College, and is the visionary behind the Long Finance Initiative. His early research in aerospace and computer graphics at the Harvard Laboratory for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis paved the way for his ventures in Swiss companies specializing in seismology, cartography, and energy information for Petroconsultants, an oil and gas information services company. Notably, he created Mundocart, a comprehensive 1:1,000,000 digital map of the world for petroleum mapping, while overseeing the Geodat cartography project. His journey led him to Anderson, where he eventually rose to become senior partner and board member of BDO Binder Hamlyn. Michael’s career also saw him as a merchant banker with Deutsche and Morgan Grenfell, and later as corporate development director at the UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. Among his many achievements, Michael established initiatives such as the Global Financial Centres Index, the London Accord, Long Finance, the Global Intellectual Property Index, the Global Green Finance Index, the Smart Centres Index, and the Farsighted Award, all contributing significantly to the financial services sector.
He holds positions as a Fellow and Trustee of Gresham College, a Visiting Professor at UCL Bartlett School, an Honorary Fellow of King’s College London, and has previously served as a Visiting Professor at the LSE.
This merely scratches the surface of the remarkable individual that Michael is. I take great pride in calling him my friend and in standing beside him on this incredible journey.
Furthermore, I am thrilled to share that Michael has entrusted me with overseeing the special interest area of Space Technology in the Court of Aldermen during his tenure as Lord Mayor. This is a responsibility I hold with great honor.
