For over two decades my great sailing buddy Axel has gone on and on about Helgoland, sometimes rendered in English as Heligoland. The wonderful sail, the interesting tides, the fantastic island, the duty free. But for those two decades and…
Kathleen Tyson-Quah is a generous friend letting us bounce around the Regents Canal with her several times on her assortment of river craft. Literally bouncing off the banks on a few occasions. We had just had some fun at the 2014…
April turned out to be a whirlwind month rather than a showery one. The month opened with a not-April-fool article in Banking Technology, co-written with my friend Bob McDowall and published promptly courtesy of my friend, editor David Bannister. This…
Safer Cities – People, Security, Technology Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli CityForum – Monday, 10 March 2014 One Whitehall Place, London SW1 As a student of international economics, I’ve been asked to provide some comments today on Safer Cities. In…
Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, 83rd Business Luncheon “Open Commerce Drives Out Closed Commerce” Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli FCCA FCSI FBCS Tallow Chandlers’ Hall, 4 Dowgate Hill, London EC4R 2SH, 12 February 2014 Master, Deputy Master, Wardens, Alderman, Liverymen, distinguished…
One of my favourite definitions of a gentleman is someone who knows how to play the bagpipes but doesn’t. I hope that explains why few people are aware of my fondness for piping and speaking at Burns Nights, otherwise I’ll…
It would be difficult to cram in any more events between the parties. Not only have we had the Z/Yen Christmas Party, my 27th annual boozy breakfast on Lady Daphne (beer courtesy of Fuller’s!), the annual Broad Street Ward Club…
One of the more unusual things I’ve had to do lately was acquire a top hat for Remembrance Sunday services at St Paul’s and the Royal Exchange. For those who know of our family’s associations with Wilton’s Music Hall, including…
[Photo courtesy of Martin Payne – click to view larger image] Our Broad Street Ward Club Chairman, Chris Hayward, and our Secretary, Judith Rich, managed to get virtually all of the Past Chairmen of the Club to a luncheon at Guildhall…
Yesterday I had the privilege of attending my first freedom ceremony in official garb, alongside Paul Judge, to welcome Lui Hui to the freedom of the City of London. Lui has been a big help on City-Asia relations and it…
