THE LORD MAYOR’S OVERSEAS VISITS AND MEETINGS WITH OVERSEAS DELEGATIONS VISITING THE CITY

The Financial Services Group of Livery Companies supports the Lord Mayor in his overseas visits, his meetings in the City with overseas delegations, in his role of promoting “the City” brand of UK financial and other business services and in continuing the previous Lord Mayor’s theme of “Improving the Financial Literacy of the Nation”.

The Lord Mayor would welcome hearing of issues to raise on either an outward or inward visit even if you cannot join an outward visit or attend an inward visit.  If you have such an issue for outward visits please contact Peter Sissons Head of International Affairs in the Economic Development Office, at least four weeks before the visit; for inward visits contact Sarah Fellous at the Mansion House.  In either case, they will need a contact name, an organisation name, an email address, the nature of the interest, a brief description of the issue (two pages at most) with key points to be made and any desired outcome.

Outward visits for 2009 - 2010 include the USA (Houston, Miami and Charlotte), the Gulf, South Africa, Romania, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Greece, China, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Russia .

The general aims of these visits include:

v   To promote the UK financial, maritime and other business services industries and the international expertise of the City of London;
v To support bilateral commercial and political relations;
v To demonstrate the importance of the City of London to the Financial Sector as a major international financial centre, a provider of liquidity and a model of best practice;
v To demonstrate strong economic and political links;
v To promote London as a centre of excellence for business, educational and professional qualifications; and
v To promote current areas of business development interest.

At present, a number of institutions are consulted ahead of these visits but there exists no mechanism for capturing the views of financial services practitioners or individual firms.  Input from such sources would be welcome.

For a Liveryman or a partner or senior executive of his or her firm to participate in an outward visit, contact Peter Sissons at the email address above at least 12 weeks before the visit.  He will require a name, email address and ’phone number for the proposed attendee, the reason for the interest in the country to be visited and the issues to be raised.

Outward visits are planned well in advance. Places to attend events and seminars are limited and places to accompany the Lord Mayor on his meetings with local ministers are more narrowly selected.  Dates of visits are to be found by clicking here.

There are more inward visits – some 50 in the year – and the Lord Mayor would welcome a wider representation from the City to be available to meet incoming delegations, make presentations and raise issues relevant to the delegation.  For a Liveryman or a partner or senior executive of his or her firm to receive alerts of incoming delegations, contact Sarah Fellous at the email address above .