Global Conversations – The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli

To a highly diverse and packed audience the spectacular Lord Mayor of London, Michael Manelli, spoke at the latest Paddy Ashdown Forum series of ‘Global Conversations’ at the National Liberal Club on Tuesday, February 6th, 2024.

Speaking with Judith Bunting, Michael discussed his year as Lord Mayor, his program of activity, and where he wants to make a difference. 

Report

The Rt Hon Lord Mayor of London, Michael Manelli, took us on a roller coaster of a conversation that started with Space bonds for space debris to a better understanding of AI, through to global mental health and the state of the NHS. At each point, Michael underlined the importance of systems thinking and how it can truly differentiate the way we all think about problems. His vision of the future for the City is based on the fight for a competitive edge as global markets progress with ever greater competition in finance and technology, leaving London with an over-reliance on competition in these two key areas. It is Michael’s supposition that the City, with all its experts and technical specialists, should diverge to become an acknowledged world centre for problem-solving. Understanding and accounting for the relationship between things/issues rather than focusing on the things/issues themselves in silos will be transformative for all sectors and markets. As a result, teams from Brazil to Beijing will travel to the problem-solving hub that can be London for rapid, effective, and efficient whole solutions. 

As the question-and-answer session proceeded, we found out more about the way ‘systems thinking’ can revolutionize thinking. Of course, Michael’s role is Lord Mayor of London, and each city and indeed mayoral job description varies, but this does not separate London from the regions since the regions are interdependent with the wealth generation of London to supply the goods and services. Each is an important component of the whole. On international trade and free trade agreements (FTA), he explained a key element of commerce is freedom and we do not need an FTA to trade: look at the trade that continues between India, the USA, and China with the UK.

The Lord Mayor’s concluding thoughts were about the, perhaps overused, word ‘trust’. Trust can be a slippery term without context, and he advises us to observe trust differently, as an ‘appropriate reliance’. Which again challenges the way we think. He explained his initiatives to Judith Bunting, talking through where he wants to make a difference. 

This is a summary of a fascinating afternoon—coming soon to the The Paddy Ashdown Forum YouTube Channel are highlights and do look out for the links to hear all the gems from this real free-thinking visionary. 

695^th Lord Mayor of London initiatives for his year and years to come, namely:

ETHICAL AI INITIATIVE with nearly 100 financial firms participating, and in discussions to extend this initiative from financial services to the legal, accountancy, and surveying professions, this offers certification in AI and a better understanding of how to develop AI ethically—over 100 people have registered to take the course already.

Space Protection Initiative, a combined technology, and financial services, particularly insurance, initiative to use space debris performance bonds and other financial instruments to keep space ‘clutter-free’ in aid of meeting 40% of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Smart Economy Networks Initiative for smart economy networks, beginning with demonstrator projects.

“Constructing Science”, www.constructingscience.com, a standard for new build and retrofit lab conversions for those seeking to have biolabs in urban environments. Michael is hosting “Offices To Labs Initiative” events during the ‘Connect To Prosper’ year.

Finally, The Lord Mayor talked about his project GALENOS global mental health research project with MQ Mental Health to speed up research by two to three years.

You can read the Lord Mayors latest article:

London’s Future Goes Beyond Finance

The Mayoral Theme For The Year: Connect To Prosper

There are five initiatives within the programme:

• The 695th Lord Mayor’s Ethical AI Initiative with nearly 100 financial firms participating, and in discussions to extend this initiative from financial services to the legal, accountancy, and surveying professions.  100 people have registered to take the course here www.cisi.org/ai;
• The 695th Lord Mayor’s Space Protection Initiative a combined technology and financial services, particularly insurance, initiative to use space debris performance bonds and other financial instruments to keep space ‘clutter free’ in aid of meeting 40% of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals;
• The 695th Lord Mayor’s Smart Economy Networks Initiative for smart economy networks, beginning with demonstrator projects.
• “Constructing Science”, www.constructingscience.com, a standard for new build and retrofit lab conversions for those seeking to have biolabs in urban environments.  We are hosting “The 695th Lord Mayor’s Constructing Science: Offices To Labs Initiative” events during the ‘Connect To Prosper’ year;
• GALENOS – global mental health research project with MQ Mental Health to speed up research by two to three years.