Background:

A discussion between the 695th Lord Mayor of London, Professor Alderman Michael Mainelli, and the incoming Lord Mayor, Alastair King, on the achievements of the Connect to Prosper initiative as well as future ambitions for the City.

Speakers:

Professor Michael Mainelli MStJ PhD MPhil BA FCCA FCSI(Hon) FBCS FRSA CITP FIC CMC MEI is a qualified accountant, securities professional, computer specialist, and management consultant, educated at Harvard University and Trinity College Dublin. He gained his PhD at the London School of Economics where he was also Visiting Professor of Innovation & IT. Originally a research scientist in aerospace (rocket science) and computing (architecture & cartography), after directing mapping projects in Switzerland he became a senior partner with accountants BDO Binder Hamlyn directing global consulting, and Corporate Development Director for Europe’s largest R&D firm, then the Ministry of Defence’s 14,000 strong Defence Evaluation & Research Agency. During a mergers & acquisitions spell in merchant banking with Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, he founded Z/Yen in 1994, the City of London’s leading think-tank, promoting societal advance through better finance and technology, renowned for its Global Financial, Green Finance, and Smart Centres indices. During his year as Lord Mayor, Alderman Mainelli will act as a spokesman for the City, leading overseas business delegations to key international markets on behalf of the UK financial and professional services industry. In the role he will meet government representatives, alongside business leaders and policy makers both at home and abroad. He will look to strengthen economic ties with the UK, identify new business opportunities and promote the UK as a top global destination for foreign investment.

Alderman Alastair King is a British financier and asset manager, who chairs Naisbitt King Asset Management Ltd. An elected Alderman of the City of London since 2016, King was commissioned a Deputy Lieutenant for Greater London in 2022 and was the Aldermanic Sheriff of London for 2022/23. King was elected to serve as the 696th Lord Mayor of London from 8 November 2024. Qualifying as a solicitor in 1995, King practised with Baker McKenzie in the City and in Asia, where he started investing in emerging markets. Appointed a senior executive at Spark Ventures (formerly NewMedia Spark plc), then managing director of Galahad Capital plc, he was CEO of Eredene Capital plc from 2005 to 2013 and Chairman of Glendevon King Asset Management from 2005 to 2016. In 2016 he founded FCA-regulated Naisbitt King Asset Management Limited, specialising in managing segregated portfolios of investment grade fixed income securities.

King is also Chairman of Common Earth, an environmental foundation, since January 2019.