First Lady Mayor of the City of London installed as Rector of City St George’s

Dame Susan Langley DBE was installed as the new Rector of City St George’s, University of London at a winter graduation ceremony held at the Barbican Centre.

On Monday 26 January, Dame Susan, who became the first woman to be styled as Lady Mayor of the City of London in September 2025, was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science in recognition of her contribution to the City of London.

At the School of Health and Medical Sciences graduation ceremony, she accepted the honorary doctorate and officially became Rector of City St George’s. Speaking to graduates, faculty and guests in the audience, the Lady Mayor said she was honoured to become Rector:

It is a privilege to be installed as Rector of this fantastic institution and receive an honorary Doctor of Science. As Rector, I promise to do everything I can to champion this university, its students and staff, and the invaluable contribution it makes to learning – not just here in the UK, but much further afield too.

Dame Susan also offered words of advice to those embarking on a new chapter in their professional lives. Referencing The Squiggly Career podcast presented by two London-based businesswomen Sarah Ellis and Bayes Business School graduate Helen Tupper, she said straight career paths no longer exist and urged graduates to jump at the everyday opportunities life throws at them.

Reflecting on her own career, Dame Susan said:

“After university, I took a job to earn enough money to travel to Australia, where I worked in various roles and then started on a graduate trainee scheme at Thomson Tour Operations.

"And it’s only through lots of other roles in between - covering accounting firms, insurance providers, banks, charities, and government departments - that I ended up here, unexpectedly, but very happily, as Lady Mayor of London, and now, as Rector of City St George’s. That’s about as squiggly as it gets!"

As only the third woman to be elected Lord Mayor in over 800 years of the role, and the first to be styled Lady Mayor, I can say with some experience: don’t be scared to go first…someone has to.

In November, Dame Susan 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.

The Lady Mayor is the UK’s international ambassador for financial and professional services, leading business delegations overseas to key international markets on behalf of the UK’s financial and professional services industry.

In the role, 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.

Dr Sionade Robinson, Vice-President (Enterprise, Engagement & Employability) at City St George’s, said:

We're proud of the special relationship between our University and the City of London, ‘unsquaring’ the Square Mile. As an open and outward-facing University of business, practice and the professions, we are excited to work with Dame Susan during her mayoralty to champion innovation in the City.