London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced Rajesh Agrawal as his deputy mayor for business with an aim to keep the city together amid the EU referendum results. With a mammoth task lying ahead of him, the first thing on the new deputy's agenda will be to safeguard jobs and protect the all over growth while EU and Britain leaders carry on the negotiation process.
Agrawal was Khan's business advisor during his mayoral campaign, helping him score votes as he promised to be "the most pro-business mayor yet". The announcement came at a time when people within the business community began to get restless with the empty chair. A self-made millionaire, Agrawal set up foreign exchange giant Rational FX, which saw a turnover of more than £1.3 billion last year, along with Xendpay, an international money transfer service. He has also featured the Sunday Times rich list with a £90 million fortune to his name.
During the announcement, Khan said, "Having arrived in London equipped with the ambition to succeed, Rajesh has created multi-million-pound businesses from scratch and knows first-hand the challenges that our business leaders face, and what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. I know that Rajesh is the best person for the job protecting jobs and growth in London as we deal with the fallout of the referendum."
Accepting the post, Agrawal said, "I stepped on a plane for the first time 15 years ago to make the journey to London, and found a city that welcomed with open arms and didn't make me feel like a stranger. The Mayor and I are determined to build a coalition that ensures the needs of business and financial services are at the fore over the coming months of negotiations with the EU. My first priority will be to listen and engage with businesses, to hear their concerns and deliver reassurance."
Agrawal, who is a trustee of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, and a patron of the Prince's Trust, will give over his business responsibilities to commit his time fully to the new duty at hand.
