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Our people and values

Our team brings together considerable experience from across the breadth of the financial and related professional services industry.

Our Chairs are among the most senior and respected practitioners in the industry. Our executive team and senior leads are all specialists in their fields. They draw on their many years of experience to deliver the best possible outcomes for our members and the industry.

We also have a network of Regional and National Chairs across the UK in major hubs for financial and related professional services. These chairs are industry practitioners who bring together a network of members and partners in each nation and region. They also act as industry ambassadors across the country and make a vital contribution to the work of TheCityUK.

Omar Ali CBE

Board Chair

Omar is the EY Global Financial Services Leader, responsible for over 60,000 people dedicated to serving the financial services sector globally − an industry that makes up nearly a third of EY’s business.

Full biography
Omar Ali

Anne Richards DBE

Leadership Council Chair

Anne joined Fidelity International as CEO in 2018, moving to Vice Chair in 2024 then Senior Adviser in January 2026. Anne’s previous roles include CEO of M&G and chief investment officer of Aberdeen Asset Management Ltd. She was appointed the chair of TheCityUK in 2022 and is also a member of the Temasek European Advisory Panel and a director of the Institute of International Finance. Anne is also on the board of Trustees for the Queen Elizabeth Prize for engineering.

Full biography
Anne Richards 2025

Miles Celic OBE

Chief Executive Officer

Miles has held the role of Chief Executive Officer since September 2016. He is also a board member of UK Finance and the Financial Services Skills Commission. Miles began his career in broadcasting, making and presenting radio and television programmes for the BBC and others.

Full biography
Miles Celic Website 400X400

Jennifer Green

Managing Director, Corporate Affairs and Company Secretary

In her role as Managing Director, Corporate Affairs, Jen is responsible for setting and overseeing the organisation’s corporate affairs strategy. She leads teams focused on promoting the breadth of work delivered by the organisation; ensuring members are fully engaged on the issues most important to them; and ensuring that the business and colleagues are well supported. Jen is also the organisation’s Company Secretary.

Full biography
Jen Green Website 400X400

Nicola Watkinson

Managing Director, International

Nicola Watkinson leads TheCityUK’s International team, which provides unique insight and deep expertise into the markets and trade relationships underpinning the UK’s success as a leading global financial centre.

Full biography
Nicola Watkinson 400X400

John Godfrey

Managing Director, Public Affairs, Policy and Research

John Godfrey leads TheCityUK's Public Affairs, Policy and Research team, providing deep insight and expertise into the domestic policy agenda that will underpin the UK's ongoing success as a world-leading international financial centre.

Full biography
John Godfrey

Our Values

01

We create value

We pursue strategic priorities and ambitious projects to help members advance the financial and related professional services industry, strengthen the UK economy and support society more widely.

  • Focus: We focus entirely on activities that will support our strategic priorities and advance our industry’s interests.
  • Insight: We engage proactively and regularly with members and colleagues to understand their goals and address their challenges.
  • Ambition: We are highly ambitious for members and colleagues, doing all we can to help them go further and faster towards their goals.
  • Impact: We deliver clear and consistent outcomes against our objectives.
02

We embrace excellence

We are committed to delivering work and service of the highest standard, while demonstrating the courage and humility to keep improving, every day.

  • Performance: We deliver high-quality work across every activity involved in our roles.
  • Pragmatism: We are rigorous in our approach but pragmatic in execution, delivering work that meets desired outcomes at the required pace.
  • Improvement: We constantly strive to improve what we do and/or how we dot it, seeking opportunity to introduce innovation and sharing lessons openly when things don’t work out as planned.
  • Accountability: We demonstrate ownership of our roles and hold each other to account through constructive and respectful challenge.
03

We empower each other

We empower colleagues in all roles to play their part in delivering our strategic priorities, expecting and equipping them to rise to the challenge.

  • Initiative: We demonstrate initiative in every area of our work, taking action to align to our objectives without waiting to be asked.
  • Autonomy: We manage our time effectively, delivering on our objectives with little need for supervision, delegating authority to provide ownership and accountability at all levels of the organisation.
  • Decisiveness: We rapidly assess input and information from all relevant sources before making clear and timely decisions, gaining approval when and where required.
  • Involvement: We bring in the right colleagues to provide support at the right time during our projects, respecting their expertise and giving them as much notice as possible.
04

We act with agility

We pursue our strategic priorities in a fast-moving environment, demonstrating the flexibility to adapt to change without losing focus on desired outcomes.

  • Prioritisation: We prioritise work effectively by identifying what will deliver greatest value for the organisation and its members.
  • Alignment: We respect the processes of a membership organisation, working with others to progress projects quickly while complying with governance requirements
  • Adaptability: We plan effectively but adjust quickly to new demands and changing circumstances.
  • Resilience: We address challenges head on, demonstrating the tenacity and resourcefulness to overcome setbacks.
05

We work as one team

We are a cohesive and collaborative team, supporting each other and working in partnership with members to accelerate progress on strategic priorities.

  • Collaboration: We collaborate freely and openly: sharing information proactively, welcoming feedback on our work and providing feedback to others.
  • Reliability: We are honest and straightforward, meaning what we say and doing what we say we will.
  • Belonging: We respect, trust and support each other, playing our part in creating an enjoyable and successful place to work.
  • Engagement: We proactively share our own views, but always seek and listen to others to ensure the best solution for our company and our members.

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