Second woman in 800 years to be City Mayor of London

City lawyer Fiona Woolf has been named as the 686th Lord Mayor of London. She will be only the second woman to hold the post.

Ms Woolf will succeed Roger Gifford on November 8 and follow in the footsteps of Mary Donaldson who was appointed Lord Mayor in 1983, the only other time a women has held the ceremonial post in its 800-year history. Ms Woolf has worked for CMS since 1978 and was the firm’s first female partner in 1981. During her time there, she has worked on the privatisation of National Grid and recently worked closely with the World Bank.

“Despite all the difficulties, the UK financial, business and professional services sectors continue to play a crucial role in driving jobs and growth in the UK and right across the world,” she said. “One of the many reasons that the City has prospered over the centuries is its ability to adapt and plan for the future. This expertise and experience is in growing demand as countries around the globe are confronted with fast-growing urban populations in resource-constrained circumstances.

“As a truly global city, London is uniquely placed to help deliver the infrastructure and financing needed to rise to the challenge.”