Sir William Anthony Bowater Russell (born 15 April 1965) is a British financier who served as the 692nd Lord Mayor of the City of London from 2019 to 2021.[1]
Sir William Russell | |
|---|---|
 Lord Mayor Russell in 2021 | |
| 692nd Lord Mayor of London | |
| In office 9 November 2019 – 13 November 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Sir Peter Estlin |
| Succeeded by | Vincent Keaveny |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Anthony Bowater Russell 15 April 1965 London, England, United Kingdom |
| Spouse |
Hilary Chaplin (m. 1989) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | Durham University |
| Occupation | Investment banker |
Biography
editEducated at Eton and Durham University, graduating B.A., Russell started his career in financial services at First Boston in 1987, and joined Merrill Lynch in 1992,[2] working in Hong Kong, New York and London, before leaving in 2006 for public service.[3][4]
Sheriff of the City of London for 2016–17, Russell was then elected Lord Mayor on 1 October 2019, taking office on 9 November 2019.[5][6] In view of the global disruption to public life brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, Russell was re-elected, on 29 September 2020, as Lord Mayor of London to serve a second term for 2021,[7] the first Lord Mayor to serve more than one term since William Cubitt, who was re-elected in 1861.[8] He is the fifth member of his family to have held this position.[9]
Russell represents Bread Street Ward as Alderman on the City of London Corporation since 2013.[10]
Russell is a Court Assistant to the Haberdashers' Company,[11] a Liveryman of the Feltmakers' and an Honorary Liveryman of the Paviors' Companies.[12]
He was knighted in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to "financial innovation, culture and wellbeing in the City of London, particularly during Covid-19".[13]
A keen cricketer, he is also a member of MCC,[14] and remains a member of the Advisory Board of Innovate Finance, an independent not-for-profit membership organisation serving the global FinTech community.[15]
Family
editThe only son of Anthony Russell, a stockbroker, he is in remainder to the family baronetcy,[16] created for his great-great-uncle, Charles Russell, founder of the eponymous law firm.
His mother, Charlotte née Bowater, was from a Kentish family of paper packagers;[17] her father, Sir Ian Bowater GBE, was Lord Mayor of London for 1969–70, and his father Sir Frank Bowater, Lord Mayor for 1938–39.[5] Russell is the fifth member of his family to hold the position of Lord Mayor of London.[9]
British actor Damian Lewis is his maternal half-brother.[18][19]
In 1989, Russell married Hilary Chaplin: they have four children.
Honours
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Arms
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "The Lord Mayor – City of London". Government of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
- ^ www.bloomberg.com
- ^ "CV" (PDF). William Russell. September 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
- ^ www.isaschools.org.uk
- ^ a b "Next Lord Mayor of the City elected". This is about: William Russell. 9 November 2019.
- ^ "The Lord Mayor-Elect". Lord Mayor's Show. 9 November 2019.
- ^ Pullman, Nigel (17 April 2020). "Guildhall last night confirmed that William Russell will now remain in office [as LM] until November 2021". liverycompanies.info. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "City of London plans 'back to work' week to revive Square Mile". Financial Times. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ a b Thomas, Daniel (2 July 2021). "Secretive lord mayor of London election thrown into disarray". Financial Times. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ "Member details – The Rt Hon. The Lord Mayor, Alderman William Anthony Bowater Russell". Government of the United Kingdom. 21 November 2019.
- ^ "Celebrating the Election of our Liveryman, Alderman William Russell, as Lord Mayor of London | The Haberdashers' Company". haberdashers.co.uk.
- ^ "Global UK: Trade, Innovation and Culture – City of London". Government of the United Kingdom.
- ^ "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N2.
- ^ www.cityam.com
- ^ "Innovate Finance – The Voice of Global FinTech". Innovate Finance – The Voice of Global FinTech.
- ^ Burke's Peerage & Baronetage, 107th edn. 2003. p. 3442 (RUSSELL, Bt). ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
- ^ "Bio" (PDF).
- ^ "Damian Lewis". IMDb. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- ^ "Interview: Lord Mayor of London William Russell". London Evening Standard. 25 November 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
