Henry Pollard will be the new Chief Commoner for the City of London Corporation.
He was elected earlier this month by the Court of Common Council, the authority’s principal decision-making body, and will serve for one year in the role.
Mr Pollard will replace the current holder, Peter Dunphy, in Spring 2025.
The Chief Commoner – a position first created in 1444 – acts as an ambassador at ceremonial occasions, works to uphold the rights and standards of City Corporation elected Members.
Mr Pollard has spent over 35 years working in the City for a range of financial services companies.
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He was first elected for the Ward of Dowgate in 2002 of which he is the Deputy. He is Chairman of the Markets Board (with oversight of our three London wholesale markets: Smithfield, Billingsgate and New Spitalfields) and currently sits on several Committees including the Investments Committee, Pensions Committee, Planning & Transportation Committee, Port Health & Environmental Services Committee and Gresham (City Side) Committee.
Mr Pollard has previously served on the Police Authority Board and has served on the Safer City Partnership where he was Chairman of both whilst being Patron of the City of London Crime Prevention Association.
He is also a past Chairman of the Corporation’s Christ’s Hospital Committee serving as a Donation Governor of the school, where he has served as an Almoner on the Foundation. He is past Chairman of the Vintry & Dowgate Wards’ Club and has served as Deputy Governor of The Honourable The Irish Society.
Mr Pollard is a liveryman of the Skinners’ Company and the Immediate Past Master of the Guild of Investment Managers.
City of London Corporation Chief Commoner Deputy Henry Pollard said: “I am delighted to have been elected to this role which enables me to develop important and constructive relationship with Members, City workers and residents. This is a pivotal and exciting time for the City Corporation. Our Corporate Plan commits us to dynamic economic growth and a creating a vibrant, thriving destination for all who live, work, learn, and explore in the Square Mile. Our flagship policy Destination City sits right at the heart of our ambitions to produce an even stronger Square Mile for the benefit of everyone in the United Kingdom.”
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