Modern Mayoralty for the Digital Age
Dame Susan Langley is on course to achieve a significant milestone in her year as the first citizen of the City of London, usually known as the Lord Mayor. She is the 497th holder of that office since it was established in 1189 and only the third woman to hold the position, but the first to style herself Lady Mayor of London.
Her decision to use the title Lady Mayor has made a huge impact, as well as raising the eyes of traditionalists. However, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise, given her previous efforts to challenge gender-specific titles. When she was elected to the Court of Aldermen in 2018, she quickly realized she wasn’t happy with the title Alderman and decided to take the title Alderwoman instead.
According to the report, Dame Susan said: “I was the first to take the title Alderwoman. I wasn’t trying to make a point but what triggered it was when someone said ‘Alderman Langley’ everyone shook my husband’s hand. I got fed up with that.” She added that changing the title was hard, but now all the women who come after her have a choice.
Dame Susan has christened her year in office as the start of the ‘Modern Mayoralty,’ and plenty is happening to embed that in the way the office operates now and in the future. Traditionally, Lord Mayors have set a theme for their year in office, but Dame Susan has worked with the City authorities to create an Advisory Board that will ensure continuity and impact.
The Advisory Board, chaired by former UK Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwell, will fill in gaps in the Mayor’s skillset and ensure that all three of them operate within set guidelines to give more consistency and impact. This change has been backed by the creation of a clearer succession plan, with Timothy Hailes and Bronek Masojada lined up for future terms. They will work together to promote the City of London as a place to do fast execution and business.
Dame Susan wants to change the perception of what the Lord or Lady Mayor does. She aims to change that.
Despite the progress made, Dame Susan still faces challenges in changing perceptions. She was recently asked by a senior American what it was like living in an Islamic capital under Sharia Law, highlighting the problem of misinformation about London. She responded with a plea for London businesses and authorities to work together to counter such lies and put the positive case forward for London, which is essential for economic growth.
Dame Susan believes in London, having been born and brought up in London’s East End. She remembers watching the Lord Mayor’s Show on her father’s shoulders, never imagining she would one day be leading that historic parade.
Few Mayors are remembered for long after they have left office, but perhaps Dame Susan will have left a mark on the City that will be her legacy for years to come. Her efforts to challenge traditional titles and perceptions, as well as her work to promote the City of London as a place to do business, may have a lasting impact on the institution, especially with the help of tech leadership.
As she said in a recent speech, “When the world feels most fragile, that is precisely when togetherness matters most. None of us can work through this moment alone. Not one nation, not one economy, not one system, the future won’t be built in isolation. It will be built through partnerships grounded in shared values, interest and objectives.” Her message is one of hope and cooperation.
It is a message.
