City Corporation Policy Chair Travels To India In Advance Of Brexit To Promote UK Strengths

The City of London Corporation’s Policy Chair Catherine McGuinness is to visit India from 27 to 28 January 2020 to discuss future relations with the UK in financial services.

The political leader of London’s historic ‘Square Mile,’ or financial district, will travel to Delhi and Mumbai for meetings with senior government and industry leaders to discuss how to boost relations and knowledge sharing in emerging common challenges like cyber security, green finance, and fintech. She will meet with representatives from the BSE stock exchange and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), as well as the Secretary of the Department for Water, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

During the visit the Policy Chair will also hold discussions on how the City Corporation can play a role in helping support women in India’s financial services sector. Collaborating with organisations and female leaders in both countries, conversations will focus on how to support women in the industry with training, mentoring and a network that will accelerate their development to leadership. She will also chair a meeting of the City of London Corporation’s India Advisory Council, a group of senior figures from Indian financial services that helps guide work in the country.

With the UK’s departure from the European Union now just days away, the visit also aims to highlight the fundamental strengths of London and the UK’s financial sector.  

Catherine McGuinness, Policy Chair at the City of London Corporation, said:

“India and the UK may be rivals when it comes to cricket, but off the pitch relations between our two countries continue to blossom.

“We have long recognised that a closer partnership with India is an attractive proposition for both countries, especially so if it covers financial services. There are many things we can do prior to a potential free trade agreement to boost our £20 billion plus relationship, especially in innovative areas like fintech, green finance, cyber security and insurance.

“Over the next two days I’ll be meeting businesses, regulators and government leaders in Delhi and Mumbai to discuss how we can do this, leveraging our mutual expertise to help find opportunities and spark innovative partnerships up and down the country.”

The City Corporation has a longstanding programme of work in India, and opened a representative office in Mumbai 12 years ago. 15 Indian financial firms have offices in London and many have branches across the UK.

The Policy Chair will be tweeting from @City_McGuinness during her visit.

26 January 2020, City of London Corporation