Sir David Hugh Wootton (born 21 July 1950) is an English lawyer and politician. He was the 684th Lord Mayor of London, from 2011 to 2012, and is the Alderman of the Ward of Langbourn.

Early life

Wootton was educated at Bradford Grammar School before going up to Jesus College, Cambridge, to read

Classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

and then Law. While at Cambridge he also

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

ed his college’s boat club in 1972 and rowed in the First Boat which swept the board against all comers – and until he became Lord Mayor he endeavoured to row there once a year with his contemporaries.

Career

From 1979 to 2015 Wootton was a partner at Allen & Overy, the international law firm headquartered in London with offices in 30 countries, specialising in corporate transactions and best-practice compliance with law and regulation in corporate governance. This involves dealing with mergers and acquisitions, IPOs and joint ventures across various international markets. Having a strong interest in the governance of the City of London, Wootton stood for election to Common Council and was elected as Commoncouncilman for the Ward of Farringdon Within in 2002. In 2005 he was elected Alderman for the Ward of Langbourn. He was Deputy Chairman of the Finance Committee and a member of the Policy and Resources and the City Lands and Bridge House Estates Committees. In 2009 he was elected Aldermanic Sheriff before serving as Lord Mayor of London for 2011–12. Wootton is chairman of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen, which oversees the work of the Lord Mayor, the Sheriffs and the Court of Aldermen and the operations of Mansion House. He chairs the Mayoral Visits Advisory Committee, which decides on and manages the programme of oversees visits by the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, and serves on the Magistracy and Livery Sub Committee. He sits on the Policy & Resources Committee and the Resource Allocation and Public Relations and Economic Development Sub Committees, and is deputy chairman of the Courts Sub Committee, of the Policy & Resources Committee. He is chairman of the Freedom Applications Committee, which reviews applications for Freedom of the City of London. Wootton has made time throughout his career to devote to charitable and community activities in promotion of education and sport. Away from the Corporation of London, he is: * Member of the Board of TheCityUK and the City Corporation's lead representative on the TheCityUK Brexit Law Committee, which is made up of representatives of the principal institutions in the legal profession and, under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice, advises the government on the legal issues arising in relation to Brexit * Vice Chairman of the International Trade and Investment Group * Director of The International Dispute Resolution Centre * President of the City of London Branch of the Institute of Directors * Trustee of Cross-Sector Safety and Security Communications * Magistrate on the Central London Bench * Chairman of the Trustees of Morden College * Chairman of the Trustees of the

King’s Fund The King's Fund is an independent think tank, which is involved with work relating to the health system in England. It organises conferences and other events. Since 1997, they have jointly funded a yearly award system with GlaxoSmithKline. T ...

Staff Pension and Life Assurance Plan * Member of the Board of Co-operation Ireland * Past President and serves on the Council of the

City Livery Club The City Livery Club is a members-only club in the City of London which was established in June 1914. It is currently based at Bell Wharf Lane, Upper Thames Street, London EC4R 3TB, in the City of London, a site which it shares with the Little ...

* President of Langbourn Ward Club * Trustee of the Jesus College Boat Club (Cambridge) Trust * Trustee of the Steve Fairbairn Memorial Trust * Trustee of the Oxford and Cambridge Rowing Foundation * Trustee of Jesus College Cambridge Society * Trustee of The Lord Mayor's 800th Anniversary Trust * Trustee of Gad's Hill Heritage Centre Trust * Member of the Institute of Cancer Research * Honorary Professor at London Metropolitan University Business School * Honorary Bencher of Grays Inn * Member of the Council of Royal Society of St George (City of London Branch) * Member of United Wards’ Club * Patron of Prisoners Abroad Wootton is Governor of several institutions, including: * Bradford Grammar School * Vice President of King Edward's School, Witley * Governor and member of the Advisory Council and of the Investment Committee of Goodenough College and, is a keen supporter of the

Livery A livery is an identifying design, such as a uniform, ornament, symbol or insignia that designates ownership or affiliation, often found on an individual or vehicle. Livery will often have elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or ...

, being: * Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers, the Solicitors’ Company, the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, the Guild of Freemen, the

Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass The Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass is one of the livery companies of the City of London. The Guild of Glaziers, or makers of Glass, the company's forerunner, existed as early as the fourteenth century. It received a roya ...

and the

Worshipful Company of Woolmen The Worshipful Company of Woolmen is one of the livery companies in the City of London. It is known to have existed in 1180, making it one of the older livery companies of the City. It was officially incorporated in 1522. The company's original ...

* Master of the

Company of Watermen and Lightermen The Company of Watermen and Lightermen (CWL) is a historic City guild in the City of London. However, unlike the city's other 109 livery companies, CWL does not have a grant of livery. Its meeting rooms are at Waterman's Hall on St Mary at Hil ...

* Renter Warden of the Worshipful Company of Bowyers * Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers * Honorary Liveryman of the

Worshipful Company of Security Professionals The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals (WCoSP) is the 108th Livery Company of the City of London. It is a non-profit making organisation providing education and health services to members of the security profession. Formed in 1999 ...

Wootton is a Steward of

Henley Royal Regatta Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It differs from the thre ...

and a member of Leander and London Rowing Clubs, as well as the Athenaeum, the Oxford and Cambridge, East India and City of London Clubs. He has also been: * Chairman of

Local Partnerships LLP Local Partnerships LLP is joint venture owned by HM Treasury, the Local Government Association and Welsh Government established 2009. It serves as a Public-private partnership unit in England and Wales. It is funded by fee income from chargea ...

* Chairman of Northern Ballet * Co-chairman of the board organising the Global Law Summit in London, February 2015 * President of the City of London Law Society * Governor of The Honourable the Irish Society * Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Charles Dickens Museum * Trustee of the National Opera Studio * Governor of Guildhall School of Music and Drama * President of the

Society of Young Freemen A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Societi ...

* Master of the Guild of Freemen of the City of London in 2016. * President of Farringdon Ward Club * Almoner of Christ's Hospital * Chairman of the Misys Charitable Foundation * Director of the Saudi British Joint Business Council UK * Music Patron of St Paul’s Cathedral * Director of the City of London Festival * Governor of City of London Academy, Southwark * Member of the Development Board of

The Institute of Cancer Research The Institute of Cancer Research (the ICR) is a public research institute and a member institution of the University of London in London, United Kingdom, specialising in oncology. It was founded in 1909 as a research department of the Royal Mar ...

* Member of the Council of the National Trust (elected) * Master of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers (2005–06) * Master of the Solicitors’ Company (2010–11) * Chancellor of City University London (2011–12) Wootton was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

in the

2013 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 2013 were appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to Orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms, various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Hon ...

for services to legal business, charity and the City of London". Wootton was conferred Doctor of Laws ''honoris causa'' by the City University London in 2012, Honorary Doctor Staffordshire University, Honorary Fellow Jesus College Cambridge, Honorary Fellow Guildhall School of Music and Drama ("HonFGS"), one of her Majesty’s Lieutenants for the City of London and Knight of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.

Personal life

Married to Elizabeth (Liz), they have two sons (James and Christopher), two daughters (Alexandra and Sophie) and eight grandchildren. Sir David and Lady Wootton live in Kent.

Freemasonry

Wootton is a committed

Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

. In 2007, he served as Senior Grand Warden of the Metropolitan Grand Lodge of London and was Past Grand Sword Bearer in 2012. In March 2014, he was promoted to Assistant Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England. In 2022, Sir David was promoted to Deputy Grand Master.

References

External links

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

''Debrett's People of Today''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wootton, David 1950 births Living people Allen & Overy people Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge Councilmen and Aldermen of the City of London Freemasons of the United Grand Lodge of England Lawyers awarded knighthoods 21st-century lord mayors of London 21st-century British politicians Knights Bachelor Knights of Justice of the Order of St John Sheriffs of the City of London Stewards of Henley Royal Regatta People educated at Bradford Grammar School Politicians awarded knighthoods Sportspeople from Yorkshire