It 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 readingThe City of London & Broad Street Ward
“Bright Lights, Open Minds, Robust Community”
Nothing To Lose But Our Chains… (Badge, and Brooch)
Banker 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 readingEel-evated
Despite 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…
Continue readingSheriffs Elect!
On 24 June at Common Hall Chris Hayward CC and I were delighted to be elected Sheriffs to take effect at our installation on 27 September. Here we are pictured outside Cutlers’ Hall with our wives Alex and Elisabeth as we toured nine livery companies in ninety minutes to thank the nearly 1,400 people who turned up to vote!

The City of London Corporation Press Release provides more detail.
Continue readingThe Mainelli Coat of Arms
Did you ever hanker after a coat of arms? Well, in preparation for the role of Sheriff, one arrived today from the College of Arms:
Gresham’s Law – The Full Mounte-Bank

With our promotion of Dr Guy’s excellent biography, we get flak from time to time for saying that Gresham’s Law is best expressed as “good money drives out bad”.
Continue readingNew Sheriff In Town? It Would Be An Honour.
I am pleased to announce that I received notification on Friday, 15 March, that my nomination for the Election of Sheriffs at Common Hall at Guildhall, Monday 24 June 2019 has been checked. It is all in order and I am a validly nominated candidate.
Thus, today, 17 March 2019, I open my campaign to be Aldermanic Sheriff for 2019/2020.

Declaring My Candidature For Sheriff Of The City Of London 2019/2020 –
17 March 2019
Election of Sheriffs for the City of London – Monday, 24th June 2019
Candidature of Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli FCCA Chartered FCSI(Hon) FBCS
To the Liverymen of the City of London
My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Common Hall
With a sense of honour and enthusiasm, I offer myself to the Livery for election at Common Hall to be held at Guildhall on Monday, 24th June, at 12 noon. My colleagues on the Court of Aldermen support my candicacy, as they did last year, as their candidate for the ancient office of Sheriff of the City of London for 2019/20. If a poll is demanded, I would like to ask for your support by voting in my favour at the ballot on Monday, 8th July 2019, also at Guildhall.
Continue reading2018 Aldermanic Campaign Closes
I was delighted to receive the following “Statement of Persons Nominated” from Guildhall just after noon today. This means that the campaign is now closed with one candidate, unopposed. I would like to thank all of my supporters, but particularly my election agent and my five nominators:
- Election Agent – Ms Ruby Sayed (Barrister), Temple
- Proposer – Mr Nicholas Westgarth, Worshipful Company of International Bankers, Austin Friars
- Seconder – Mr Karl Craig, Canaccord Genuity, Lothbury
- Subscriber – Ms Mei Sim Lai OBE, Lai Peters, New Broad Street
- Subscriber – Mr Roger Sanders OBE, Lighthouse Group, Throgmorton Street
- Subscriber – Ms Elizabeth Corrin, China Construction Bank, Old Broad Street
I would also like to thank numerous voters in the Ward for their kind message, the many supporters at Broad Street Ward Club’s annual luncheon yesterday, and the kind messages online via LinkedIn and Twitter. I shall do my best to serve the Ward over the next six years, along with the civic team who generously gave their unreserved support:
- Deputy John Bennett
- Chief Commoner John Scott JP
- Chris Hayward CC
We want to continue trying to deliver more by Working for the City, Working for the Ward, Working for You.
There will still be a Wardmote at noon on Wednesday, 12 December, though no election on 13 December, at Carpenters’ Hall, 1 Throgmorton Avenue, London EC2N 2JJ. All are welcome to attend the installation on 12 December. Feel free to let me know if you’re coming.
2018 Campaign – Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli
Re-Elect Professor Michael Mainelli
for Alderman of Broad Street
“Bright Lights, Better City”
My campaign motto highlights the City’s brainpower, attractions, and traditional freedoms.
I am honoured to have the support of our three Common Councilmen, Deputy John Bennett, Chief Commoner John Scott JP, and Chris Hayward.
A former Chairman (2004-2005) of the Broad Street Ward Club, Immediate Past Master of the Worshipful Company of World Traders, Freeman of the Watermen & Lightermen, and an Honorary Liveryman of the Furniture Makers and Water Conservators, Michael has worked in the Ward since 1984, walking the length of the Ward every day to and from home in Wapping.
“Michael has achieved much in his first term as Alderman, working hard and well with our Civic Team. We urge you to return him to work with us in the future.”
Chief Commoner John Scott JP
Please give me, Michael Mainelli, your vote by postal ballot or by voting in person on
Thursday, 13 December 2018
Polling Station
Carpenters’ Hall, 1 Throgmorton Avenue,
London EC2N 2JJ
Polls are open from 8:00am to 8:00pm
The pre-election Wardmote will be held at Carpenter’s Hall at midday on Wednesday, 12 December 2018
www.broadstreetward.org.uk
@broadstreetward
I walk through the Ward every day, to and from work, and would be delighted to discuss Ward business.
Contact me by telephone 020 7562-9562, or via email michael_mainelli@zyen.com, or by post to Z/Yen Group, 41 Lothbury, London EC2R 7HG. For more campaign details see www.mainelli.org and @mrmainelli.
Aldermen and Common Councilmen are the unpaid volunteers who keep our community working. In tough times for the City, with fierce international competition among financial centres, increasing uncertainty in financial services, more regulation, rising costs, and tight budgets, these volunteers are vital.
As the creator of the Global Financial Centres Index, I know what makes cities work. Together we can make a success of our neighbourhood with a manifesto of:
- safe streets – traditional policing, crime prevention, refuse collection, lighting, sensible licensing, and traffic enforcement;
- modern infrastructure – water, electricity, ICT, and transportation links with robust defences against environmental damage and terrorism;
- vibrant economy – fostering new and old businesses by setting policy and regulation that encourage new markets in the City and future success for the 483,000 of us already working here;
- community spirit – ensuring excellent services for those in need, while enhancing intellectual and cultural life;
- competitive attractiveness – lobbying central government on better policies for education, taxation, and business, as well as promotion, to keep the City foremost in global finance, technology, and media.
We have made great progress in Broad Street Ward in three major areas:
- Refurbishment and all-but-pedestrianisation of Austin Friars – completed on budget and on time. We have plans for more social and community activities in this area. Please do look out next year for a street market.
- On-site shredder vans – an outright ban seems a ways off, but we have reduced these vehicles to almost the minimum.
- Communications – we now have high-speed broadband throughout the City and our website is in its fifth year. @broadstreetward tries to ‘follow’ all businesses and people in the Ward, so please do ‘follow’ us by return!
Broad Street’s traditional mascot is the famous panto cat of its Alderman, Dick Whittingon (1354-1423).
My work on your behalf over the past five years has consisted of:
- Ambassadorial – representing the City and Ward, including accompanying and receiving trade and investment delegations to and from Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Australasia. A number of businesses in finance and technology have located operations here thanks to such efforts.
- Governance – promoting our interests in the Corporation as a member of the Court of Aldermen and Common Council, as well as Finance, Markets, Planning & Transportation, Standards, and Gresham Committees.
- Ward Support – helping develop our City Giving Day contributions and Ward Mights, presenting in companies and schools, organising tours of the Ward, promoting new Freemen (ask if you’d like to become one), as well as being President of Broad Street Ward Club.
Professor Michael Mainelli FCCA FCSI (Hon) FBCS, Executive Chairman, Z/Yen Group
A qualified accountant, securities professional, computer specialist, and management consultant, educated at Harvard University and Trinity College Dublin, Michael gained his PhD at London School of Economics where he was also a Visiting Professor. He began his career as a research scientist, later becoming an accountancy-firm partner with BDO Binder Hamlyn and a director of Ministry of Defence research. During a spell in merchant banking with Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, he co-founded Z/Yen, the City of London’s leading commercial think-tank. He has led Z/Yen from creating smart ledgers (aka blockchains) through the Financial £aboratory, Taskforce 2000, Global Financial Centres Index, Global Green Finance Index, and Global Intellectual Property Index.
In 2005, Michael initiated Long Finance’s London Accord, an agreement among 65 investment research teams to work together on environmental, social, and governance issues, which includes Ward firms such as Canaccord Genuity, ING, and Deutsche Bank. Michael’s civic work includes serving as Emeritus Professor of Commerce, Fellow & Trustee at Gresham College – the City’s ‘Tudor Open University’; Almoner (governor) for Christ’s Hospital – the City’s charitable boarding school; Trustee of Morden College; former London Waterways Commissioner; and Patron to several charities, such as CARA and Sea-Change Sailing Trust.
Michael is a non-executive director of two listed firms and the United Kingdom Accreditation Services overseeing UK laboratories and quality standards. He was British Computer Society Director of the Year in 2005 and given Hons by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment in 2018. His third book, The Price of Fish: A New Approach to Wicked Economics and Better Decisions, won the 2012 Independent Publisher Book Awards Finance, Investment & Economics Gold Prize.
Promoted by Ms Ruby Sayed CC, One Pump Court Chambers, Elm Court, Temple, London EC4Y 7AH,
on behalf of Professor Michael Mainelli, Z/Yen Group Limited, 41 Lothbury, London EC2R 7HG.