Dame Susan Langley | |
|---|---|
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| 697th Lady Mayor of London | |
| Assumed office 7 November 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Alastair John Naisbitt King |
| Alderwoman of the City of London | |
| Assumed office 12 July 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Hewitt |
| Sheriff of the City of London | |
| In office 28 September 2023 – 27 September 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Alastair King |
| Succeeded by | Gregory Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Susan Carol Walford 2 July 1963 |
| Spouse | Gary Phillip Langley JP (m. 2003) |
| Residence(s) | London and Hertfordshire |
| Profession | Insurer |
Dame Susan Carol Langley (née Walford, born 2 July 1963) is a British businesswoman who is the Lady Mayor of London for the 2025–26 term.[1] An alderwoman since 2018, Langley is the third female Lord Mayor (and the first to be styled Lady Mayor) and previously served as a Sheriff of the City of London for the 2023–24 term.[2][3]
An insurer and financier, Langley is the non-executive chair of Gallagher UK since 2015[4] and a non-executive director of UK Asset Resolution.[5]
Early life and education
[edit]Susan Walford was born in 1963 at West Ham, then in Essex, the daughter of Shirley née Manners and James Walford. She was educated at Redden Court School before going up to read Geography at the University of Southampton, graduating BSc.[6]
Career
[edit]Having travelled in Australia after university, she joined Thomson Tour Operators as a programme manager and held various roles from 1987 to 1996, and then PricewaterhouseCoopers as a principal consultant working with a range of FTSE companies (1996–98), before becoming Chief Operating Officer of Hiscox. With Lloyd's of London from 2007 until 2012, Langley served as Director for North America and Market Development, Director of Lloyd's Asia and Chair of Lloyd's Japan, before joining the Department for Business and Trade as Chief Executive Officer for Financial and Professional Services from 2013 to 2015.[7]
A Senior Independent Director for UKAR (Northern Rock Asset Management and Bradford & Bingley) since 2010,[8] Langley chairs Gallagher UK since 2015, and served as Lead NED at HMG Home Office (2014–22).[9]
Elected to represent Aldgate Ward on the Court of Aldermen since 2018,[10] Langley served as Sheriff of the City of London for 2023–24.[2]
2025: Lady Mayor of London
[edit]Langley is the Lady Mayor of London for the 2025–26 term,[1][3] Langley is the third woman[a] to hold the office since its establishment in the 13th century and the first styled as Lady Mayor of London.[3]
Personal life
[edit]In 2003 she married Gary Langley,[11] a Justice of the Peace for Hertfordshire.[12]
Charitable service
[edit]Langley served as a Trustee of Macmillan Cancer Support from 2017 to 2021[13], as well as a Trustee of Mansion House Scholarship Scheme (MHSS) from 2022–23.
Langley is also a Trustee of the Lord Mayor's Appeal, and a Member of the Lord Mayor's Appeal Advisory Board[14], and is a Liveryman of the Drapers’ Company, overseeing the Gift & Legacy Fund.
Langley also regularly speaks at events and mentors a number of individuals.
Honours and appointments
[edit]National honours
[edit]
: Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (2023)[15]
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (2015), for "services to women in business"[16]
: Member of the Order of St John (2024);[17]
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Civic appointments
[edit]- Alderwoman of London (2018)
- Sheriff of the City of London (2023–24)
- Lady Mayor of London (2025–present)
Supportive of Equality of Arms in heraldry, Dame Susan has not petitioned the Earl Marshal for a grant of Arms until such time as positive change for sex equality in the laws of Arms, heraldic convention and practice is decreed by Garter and his fellow Kings of Arms,[22] instead assuming a personal armorial design.[23]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "City of London elects Sheriffs". City elects Sheriffs. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ a b "City of London elects Sheriffs". Newsroom, Corporation of London. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ a b c Chan, Jeremy (7 July 2024). "Insurance boss Dame Susan Langley picked as City's third female Lady Mayor — Langley will be the third woman to hold the 800-year-old position". Financial Times.
- ^ ajg.com
- ^ "Spear's Review: Dame Susan Langley". Spears500. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ Court of Aldermen. City of London.
- ^ "Sue Langley to lead the Financial Services Investment Organisation". Gov.uk.
- ^ ukar.co.uk
- ^ "Sue Langley". Gov.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ londoncouncils.gov.uk
- ^ Langley, Dame Susan. "Election of Sheriffs for the City of London, Monday 26th June 2023 Candidature of Alderwoman Susan Langley" (PDF). Livery Committee. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "Gary Langley" (PDF). City of London.
- ^ "Susan Carol LANGLEY personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "About The Appeal | Our People | The Lord Mayor's Appeal 2026". www.thelordmayorsappeal.org. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "King's Birthday Honours List 2023: Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE)". Gov.uk. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "Sue Langley OBE". Gov.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "Order of St John: Member of the Most Venerable Order of Saint John (MStJ)". The London Gazette. 2024.
- ^ "City Governance". wci.org.uk.
- ^ Langley, Dame Susan (10 October 2024). "Thanks to the Drapers' livery from the late Sheriffs of the City".
- ^ "The Goldsmiths' Review" (PDF).
- ^ Freedom of the City: City of London
- ^ college-of-arms.gov.uk
- ^ liverycommittee.org
Notes
[edit]- ^ After Dame Mary Donaldson (for 1983/84) and Dame Fiona Woolf (for 2013/14).
External links
[edit]- "Take a bow: Sue Langley". Brummell Magazine. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
- City of London
- Dames Commander Society
- www.thelordmayorsappeal.org
