Letters Patent Speech

1. 1. Delivered by the Master at the presentation of Letters Patent
   2. Confirming the grant of livery to The Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs at the Mansion House on Monday 14th July 2025
   3.  

My Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, Aldermen, fellow Masters, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

It is with deep gratefulness and considerable pride that I rise today on behalf of the Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs to receive the Letters Patent which formally recognise our place within the City’s Livery tradition.

We thank the Court of Aldermen, the Chamberlain’s Court, and all those who have guided and supported us on this journey. It is no small moment; for it affirms our Company’s identity, mission, and responsibilities as a fully recognised part of the civic and charitable fabric of the City of London.

It is also a moment of unique symmetry: for standing at the head of the City as Lord Mayor is our own Master Elect, Alderman Alastair King, a distinguished entrepreneur in his own right, whose leadership and vision have shaped both this City and our Company. My Lord Mayor, we are proud to be your Company, and we look forward with great anticipation to the day you take the Master’s chair.

Our Company was formed on 24th November 2014, created not simply to celebrate entrepreneurship, but to serve as a living bridge between enterprise and civic duty. From our earliest days, we have embraced the idea that entrepreneurs have a role to play beyond the boardroom as mentors, benefactors, and stewards of social progress.

From the outset, we committed ourselves to more than ceremonial life and our charitable mission has become a cornerstone of our identity. We are particularly proud of our flagship programme, Entrepreneurs Award for Social Innovation or EASI, which supports founders who are combining entrepreneurial flair with a passion for social good. Through this and other initiatives, we encourage and support tomorrow’s changemakers.

Today, as we receive the Letters Patent, we remember with reverence and admiration the individuals whose vision made this moment possible:

• Our late founder, Dan Doherty, whose inspiration and determination gave shape to an idea that many believed was too ambitious or too modern to succeed;
• Our founding Clerk, Adele Thorpe, whose skill, diplomacy, and institutional knowledge guided the fledgling Guild through its earliest, most fragile days;
• And the late Sir Paul Judge, our first Master, whose legacy of leadership, generosity, and civic engagement continues to inspire us all.

We walk today in their footsteps.

We are not here simply to wear robes or raise toasts, we are here to serve: to contribute to the City's civic life, to support the Mayor and Sheriffs, and to play our full part in the Livery movement. We accept the rights of the Livery with full awareness of the responsibilities they entail — to uphold the rule of law, support education, champion inclusion, and above all, to act always in the spirit of fellowship and integrity.

As entrepreneurs, we are used to building something from nothing. Today we inherit something timeless; the trust of the City of London. And we pledge, in return, to uphold that trust with energy, humility, and imagination.

In everything we do, we strive to live by the spirit of our motto; three words that define who we are and what we stand for:

 Dare, Create, Succeed.

My Lord Mayor, we thank you for the honour given us today and for the leadership you continue to offer as both citizen and entrepreneur.

May the Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs ever be worthy of this City and the legacy we now join.
 

James Talbot

Master

14^th July, 2025