London’s dynamism is rooted in a rich history – and a relentless drive to innovate. Last week, BusinessLDN’s 2025 Summer Reception brought together 180 leaders from business, politics, and civil society at the Institution of Engineering and Technology – a fitting setting in which to celebrate the capital’s achievements and look to the future.
We were delighted to welcome the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, as our keynote speaker for the evening. Despite a turbulent geopolitical context, the Mayor struck a note of optimism in a landmark year – the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Greater London Authority (GLA) and the Mayor of London. The GLA has reshaped how London is governed – ushering in a new era of city leadership, enabling more strategic direction across transport, infrastructure, environment, housing, and skills, and helping to cement our standing on the world stage.
Sir Sadiq reflected on the progress made during his time in office: more than 800,000 new jobs created, a sixfold increase in employers paying the London Living Wage, and over a million Londoners supported with access to training.
London has attracted hundreds of millions in trade and investment in the past year alone – a testament to its enduring international appeal – and now offers the kind of certainty and stability absent elsewhere. Looking ahead, the Mayor will soon lead a trade delegation to Africa, joining 35 London businesses in pursuit of new partnerships and opportunities. He reminded us that London is not just a city – it’s the UK’s economic engine, with national success tied directly to the capital’s strength.
The Mayor also acknowledged BusinessLDN’s role – both in championing the creation of the Mayoralty a quarter of a century ago and in our ongoing efforts to remove barriers to growth, influence policy, and deliver tangible benefits for Londoners. Our members are at the heart of that mission: driving investment, training and upskilling their staff, and championing London’s global competitiveness.
Over the past year, we’ve worked closely with City Hall to turn ambition into action. We’ve played a key role in securing a commitment from ministers that HS2 will reach Euston, helped TfL secure a four-year funding deal after years of short-term fixes, and engaged constructively with the Greater London Authority to drive forward plans for a new City Hall Developer. The Mayor’s new London Growth Plan sets out a bold vision for the years ahead – and we’re committed to playing our part in realising it.
But as the Mayor cautioned, London’s future prosperity is not guaranteed. National policy decisions will have a profound impact on its trajectory. We cannot afford an “anti-capital-city” approach from the Government.
And our Chief Executive, John Dickie, set out the stakes plainly: policies such as the proposed “wealth tax” risk driving away the talent and investment the UK needs most – generating minimal revenue and causing disproportionate economic damage. It’s a warning the Government should heed.
At the same time, there’s more London can do with the levers it already holds. Whether through better coordination across sectors to unlock much-needed housing, reimagining Oxford Street, or strengthening planning capacity across boroughs, the potential to accelerate delivery is clear. And where national levers remain essential – from policing resources to critical infrastructure projects like the DLR extension to Thamesmead – we will continue to press the case for investment in London.
We were also pleased to hear from Peter Hogg, London City Executive at Arcadis – one of our partner members and our sponsor for the evening – who reflected on a quarter-century of pioneering city-wide government, from the legacy of the 2012 Olympics to the capital’s endurance and adaptability through the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Chair, Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, closed the speeches by highlighting London’s remarkable capacity to deliver world-class projects. Contrary to the misapprehension that we can’t build infrastructure, recent, award-winning successes like the Elizabeth Line, which now carries an average of 800,000 passengers daily, and the Thames Tideway Tunnel exemplify the city’s ability to make bold, transformative things happen.
London’s diversity, dynamism, and resilience remain unparalleled. Given the right tools – powers, flexibility, and investment – there’s no limit to what we can do, not only for the capital but for the whole of the UK.