The Rector of City St George's is The Lord Mayor of London and appointed each year in November.
Dame Susan Langley was elected as the 697th Lord Mayor of the City of London in September 2025. As the first to be titled the ‘Lady Mayor of London’, she will be formally installed as the new Rector of City St George’s, University of London at a winter graduation ceremony held at the Barbican in January 2026.
The Lady Mayor acts as an international spokesperson for the City of London, leading business delegations overseas to key international markets on behalf of the UK’s financial and professional services industry.
In her role as Rector, Dame Susan will meet government representatives from around the world, alongside business leaders and policy makers internationally.
As a passionate advocate for equality, the Lady Mayor has pledged to “un-square the Square Mile” and showcase the City as an open and welcoming place. Throughout her mayoralty, she will be supporting and promoting initiatives that open doors and break down barriers.
A nod to the university’s historical links to the City of London, the installation of the elected Lord Mayor as Rector has been an important moment in the academic calendar since legacy City, University of London secured the Royal Charter in 1966.
An award-winning businesswoman with extensive international experience, Dame Susan is the Non-Executive Chair for Gallagher UK and the Senior Independent Director for UKAR. She has held Board positions across charities, government departments and markets including the Home Office, Macmillan Cancer and Lloyd’s of London.
Dame Susan was a founding Member of the Government’s Women’s Business Council and her services to women in business were recognised with an OBE in 2015. She later received a DBE for her services to the public and to the financial services industry.
In November 2025, she marked a major milestone for the City when the Lord Mayor’s Show became the Lady Mayor’s Show for the first time in centuries. City St George’s students marked this historical moment by joining the Lady Mayor in the procession and celebrating the University’s strong links to the City of London.
Links with the City of London
Learn more about our history and our commitment to academic excellence, focusing on business and the professions, from our central London location.
City, University of London merged with St George’s, University of London on 1 August 2024 to become City St George’s, University of London. We are currently operating under a dual-running model, so you may still see references to our legacy institutions.