Dr Miranda Brawn, former vice-chair and patron of Brixton’s Black Cultural Archives and Lambeth equality commissioner, is bidding to become an alderman of the City of London.
She is the only person of colour in the election for a seat on the City’s Court of Aldermen.
The Court of Aldermen has 25 members. At present four of them are women. They are elected at least every six years and not all at once. Only an alderman can become Lord Mayor of London.
Dr Brawn, who is a non-practising barrister, non-executive director and philanthropist. is running with her “ICHANGES” vision for greater inclusion and sustainability in the City of London and has highlighted 10 reasons to vote for her.
She is contesting the Cordwainer ward election on 26 May. The seat is vacant following the death of Sir Roger Gifford, who had been alderman of the ward since 2004.
The election is taking place after years of intense scrutiny for the City’s elected body over its lack of gender and ethnic diversity.
Should she win, she would be the second woman of colour in more than 900 years to hold the coveted role of Alderman if the City of London.
The Rt Hon the Baroness Patricia Scotland of Asthal, QC, became the first Black female alderman when she won her seat in 2014.
London born and raised, Dr Brawn has worked in the City for decades and is a former investment banker, hedge fund sales trader and senior banking lawyer. She is currently non-executive director and strategic board advisor for global corporate boards in and out of the City of London.
She is ranked as one of the leading women in finance and business, and was one of the first women of colour on the City’s trading floor.
She was named in the Women in Finance Award’s Woman of the Year and Ambassador of the Year categories.
She is also the founder and president of the Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation.
Dr Brawn said she was “humbled” by the support and encouragement from both inside and outside the City, including from former Lord Mayors of London, to put her name forward for the Aldermanic elections.
The City of London has 25 wards. Each elects one alderman and a number of members to the Court of Common Council.
Aldermen represent their wards in the Court of Aldermen and represent the City of London globally at senior levels to encourage international business.
