Page 41 - Yearbook issue try out

Having a WCIT Lord Mayor puts our profession more ubiquitous, just about every job will require
at the heart of the City: WCIT can count two Lord some level of digital skill.
Mayors in its ranks (Past Masters Alderman Sir
David Wootton and Sir Brian Jenkins GBE) and a To support this, we are encouraging girls to take
Lady Mayoress, Past Master Lady Parmley, who up IT in school. Alongside Microsoft, Vodafone and
spent a year at Mansion House beside Sir Andrew. IBM, we will deploy the talents of our membership
for good in supporting projects with a focus on
Two members, Dawn Wright and Randall lifelong learning and developing those digital skills
Anderson, sit along with the Aldermen on the people need.
Common Council and address areas as diverse
as the City of London Police Authority, economic
crime, transportation, managing Tower Bridge, and
tackling homelessness in the Square Mile.

“We gain a great deal of satisfaction in knowing we
are supporting the City by providing democratic
oversight of its workings,” says Dawn. “The Court of
Common Council helps to preserve the traditions
and heritage of the City while ensuring we are
st
guiding it forward into the 21 century – not least
with state of the art technology!”

The Financial Services Group of 13 “modern”
Livery Companies, including WCIT, supports the
Lord Mayor in preparation for overseas visits,
meetings in the City with overseas delegations, Beadle on parade
and in promoting “the City” brand of UK financial
and other business services.
One of my most rewarding experiences as Master
The group also acts as a gateway for those wanting was helping organise the Lord Mayor’s Big Curry
to set up businesses in the City or who need Lunch at the Guildhall. Hobnobbing with royalty
professional and financial services in their country and eating my own bodyweight in biryani?
of operation. Technology is critical to multiple City Absolutely. But it is also a massive fundraising
initiatives, ranging from the previous Lord Mayor’s exercise to support veterans of Her Majesty’s
theme of “The Connected City" to the competing Armed Forces. Over the last 12 years, the lunches
demands of sovereignty and security. This is the have made over £2.1m to help veterans prepare for
City as a whole taking a lead to promote key issues employment. This has a wonderful synergy with
and develop digital skills. our own Careers Panel’s support to servicemen
and women in their transition to civilian life.
Mind you, it is not just the City that benefits from
the WCIT’s influence. We actively support the So yes, there is a lot of ceremony, and there are
Hammersmith Academy, the school we founded certainly some very good dinners. But please don’t
and which opened in 2011, along with Lilian Baylis forget we at WCIT participate at all levels of civic
Technology College and the Livery Schools Link; governance, promote our industry throughout the
we sponsor the Gresham College Professor of IT; UK via the City, support multiple schools as part of
and we make many charitable donations. a 400-year-old educational tradition, champion the
City as a global financial powerhouse, and – even
But one new initiative is in supporting and advising if only with pikes and muskets – protect the Lord
FutureDotNow, a coalition of leading companies Mayor’s person.
and civil society groups working with government
to boost the UK’s digital skills, led by past Lord Is it any wonder we are the most relevant Livery
Mayor Sir Peter Estlin. As technology becomes ever Company in the City today?

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