AFB Mansion House Lunch 2024

The AFB Mansion House Lunch is now open for bookings.  This year’s lunch will be held in the presence of the Lord Mayor, Alderman Michael Mainelli, at Mansion House – one of the most impressive venues in the City of London. The event, hosted by AFB Chair, William Smith provides members with an excellent opportunity to bring together colleagues and business guests.

We are pleased to confirm that this year’s guest speaker will be Sarah Pritchard, Executive Director of Supervision, Policy and Competition, FCA.

Eversheds Sutherland will once again sponsor this year’s lunch. As a global top 10 law practice, Eversheds Sutherland provides legal advice and solutions to an international client base and Financial Services is their biggest industry sector. The firm’s multi-disciplinary team consists of lawyers and regulatory consultants who have worked for the sector for many years as well as individuals who have previously worked at the FCA in supervision and enforcement. You can find out more on the Eversheds Sutherland website.

On arrival, there will be a welcome reception with drinks and a selection of canapes, followed by a seated 2-course lunch and speeches.

We have revised the format for this event (moving from a three course to two course and canapes) to ensure we keep to the published timings. Please arrive as early as possible to make the most of the welcome reception and enjoy the canapes over conversations with fellow members and guests.

Speaker Biographies

Alderman Michael Mainelli

Lord Mayor of the City of London 2023-24

Michael Mainelli was elected as Lord Mayor of the City of London on 29 September 2023 and took office on 10 November 2023. He previously served Sheriff of the City of London from 2019-2021, being granted an extraordinary second year in that office, the first time since 1228, in order to provide continuity during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Educated at Harvard University and Trinity College Dublin, Michael gained his PhD at London School of Economics where he was also a Visiting Professor.  Originally a research scientist in aerospace (rocket science) and graphics in the USA and Switzerland, he created the first commercial digital maps of the world in Cambridge.  He entered the City of London in 1984 ahead of Big Bang, becoming a partner in 1987 with BDO Binder Hamlyn, and in 1995 a Director of Ministry of Defence research.  During a mergers & acquisitions spell in merchant banking with Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, he co-founded Z/Yen, the City of London’s leading think-tank, promoting societal advance through better finance and technology.  Z/Yen is renowned for the Global Financial Centres Index, Global Green Finance Index, Long Finance, and numerous technology and finance projects. 

Sarah Pritchard

Executive Director of Supervision, Policy and Competition – Markets and Executive Director, International, FCA

As Executive Director Markets Sarah is responsible for the delivery of the FCA’s statutory market integrity objective and co-leads the combined Supervision, Policy and Competition (SPC) division with Sheldon Mills. 

As Executive Director International she leads our international function, proving overall leadership for our international priorities in support of the FCA strategy.

Sarah is the Executive Director sponsor for the FCA’s Edinburgh office, as well as sponsoring the FCA’s gender diversity network, and accountable executive for Women in Finance Charter.

Prior to joining the FCA Sarah was the Director of the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC), a multi-agency partnership housed in the National Crime Agency, created in late 2018 to deliver UK system leadership on economic crime. Before then she was General Counsel/Legal Director for the National Crime Agency as well as leading the NCA’s transformational people programme.

Her career has involved stints in investigative, operational and legal roles in a range of government departments and in the private sector. Within the private sector she has led global financial crime compliance and reputational risk teams at HSBC and qualified as a commercial litigator with Dechert LLP.

William Smith – AFB Chair
Managing Director & Head of International, BMO Capital Markets

In his role as Head of International, Bill is responsible for BMO Financial Group’s Capital Markets business in EMEA and Asia. Prior to assuming his management role in EMEA in 2011, Bill was Head of Investment and Corporate Banking in London where he was responsible for a wide range of international transactions including M&A, strategic advisory, equity and debt financing.

Bill provides a leadership and governance role on several regulated subsidiary boards within EMEA and Asia, including Bank of Montreal China (Chair), Bank of Montreal Capital Markets Limited and Bank of Montreal Europe.

Before joining BMO Capital Markets in 2004, Bill gained 20 years of investment banking experience working in London, Toronto and Tokyo. This included work in fixed income, derivatives, foreign exchange and credit.

In addition to his executive responsibilities, Bill is the Chair of the UK’s Association of Foreign Banks, President of the Canada–United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce and a member of the University of Toronto’s International Leadership Council.

Bill holds an MBA from York University, a Master’s in Political Economy from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Lawrence University.

Logistics

Cost:        £190 (plus VAT) per person or £1,900 (plus VAT) per table of 10

Venue:     Mansion House, London, EC4N 8BH

Date:       Tuesday 21 May 2024

Time:       12:00 Arrival for welcome drinks and canapes (Please arrive no later than 12:45)

                12:55 Guests to be seated for a 2-course lunch and speeches

                14:30 Close

Please contact us at secretariat@foreignbanks.org.uk if you have any queries.