Remarks to:
Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors Installation Dinner
Continue readingMy dear friend Herbie Skeete heads up MondoVisione. His 2019 Forum at Haberdashers’ Hall led to some great insights on the nature of global finance. The highlight was probably an address and interview with Gina Miller, the campaigner behind two Brexit court cases.
Continue readingWhen you start to see these retrospective articles you begin to get furtive, looking over your shoulder much more, not walking under ladders, etc. Still quite a nice and complimentary interview for which I’m thankful to Eila Madden, George Littlejohn, and the team at CISI. PDF:
1 October 2019 | The Polymath (profile of Professor Michael Mainelli as he becomes Sheriff of the City of London) | Securities And Investment Review |
Today I hosted my first luncheon with the Judges and five guests. An amazing re-introduction to the hard work all the judiciary do, particularly as the case we followed today was rather harrowing with children and murder involved. For some light relief, a dear friend, Bill Joseph, sent the following limerick to start off a year of luncheons, for obvious reasons it featured a puffin:
There once was a rather smart puffin
Who distracted the Lords from their judgin.
In his new shrievel chain
With its symbols arcane,
He astounded the room they had lunch in.
The big day, Friday, 27 September, finally arrived. Chris Hayward CC and I were sworn in as Sheriffs of the City of London. Here we are just coming out of Guildhall together after swearing our oaths and on our way to the traditional sumptuous Break-fast.
We now have a formal job description. Links if you want to follow the story so far, and as it unfolds;
Continue readingIt was simply fantastic to have 230 friends and supporters turn up at the Dutch Church at noon on 19 September for the traditional “Shrieval Chain Presentation”.
Continue readingBanker Baron Overstone, on seeing the “unmitigated disappointment” of his new Overstone Hall in Northampthonshire (now derelict), grumbled, “We have fallen into the hands of an architect, in whom incapacity is his smallest fault.”
Well, I certainly don’t feel as morose as Baron Overton. In the case of my Shrieval chain and badge, as well as Elisabeth’s brooch, all we can say is that we fell into the hands of a silversmith, in whom genius is his smallest fault. We are so delighted with Grant Macdonald’s work.
The Shrieval Chain and Badge of Office
presented to Alderman Professor and Sheriff-Elect Michael Mainelli on 19 September 2019
Continue readingDespite being three months away from assuming office, our services were called upon within days to assist the current Sheriffs in an unusually fishy matter.
When attending a service in the Dutch Church to commemorate the Dutch eel trade, like you do, Elisabeth and I encountered a delegation from the Frisian Islands. They came on the good ship eel barge Korneliske Ykes II, with greetings and gifts from the mayor of Súdwest-Fryslân to our Lord Mayor…
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