Master & Wardens Election 2023

On 21 November 2023 the Company’s new Master and Wardens were elected for the ensuing year.

They are:

The Master

Rupert Elliott

Rupert is a partner at Hakluyt & Company which provides strategic advice to investors and corporate decision-makers on the opportunities and risks facing their businesses. Before that he was a barrister practising in The Temple in London, specialising in media-related law (libel, slander, privacy). He is a trustee of the spinal cord research charity, Wings for Life.

Rupert has been a Haberdasher since 1985 and joined the Court of Assistants in 2006. He has served as a governor of our multi-academy trust in South London (Haberdashers’ Academies Trust South).

First Warden

Sir William Russell

William has over thirty years’ experience in the financial and business sectors of the City, including holding senior positions in the national and international banking sector. In 1987 he went to work for the First Boston Corporation before joining Merrill Lynch in 1992 as an Investment Banker in Institutional Equity Sales, working in Asia, New York and London. William is currently Chair of CDAM, a London-based Asset Management business; co-Chair of the UK-China Green Finance Taskforce with Dr Ma Jun, and a non-executive Director to Augmentum Fintech Investment Trust.

William took office as the 692^nd Lord Mayor of the City of London in November 2019. To ensure continuity of leadership during the COVID-19 outbreak, he remained in office until November 2021. William is a past Governor of Haberdashers’ School for Girls, Haberdashers’ Adams Grammar School and Haberdashers’ Abraham Darby.  He served as Sheriff of the City of London from 2016-17.

Second Warden

Anthony Cann

Anthony started as a trainee at Linklaters and finished up his time there as their worldwide Senior Partner (Chair).

Having spent 6+ years in NY office specialising in Corporate, M & A, and finance law, he later headed up the Corporate Department, leading the negotiations on the firm's European mergers and eventually been elected Senior Partner.

Anthony served as governor of HATS from 2007 until 2011, when he became a Free member of the Haberdashers. In 2013 he was asked to become governor of HWMAT with a view to later being made Chair. Anthony joined the Livery in 2012 and later the Court in 2013.

In 2019 he retired as Chair of HWMAT and rejoined HATS Board, where he became Chair of Haberdashers' Borough Academy until his retirement in December 2022.

Third Warden

Sally Dyson

An education at Elstree rival, North London Collegiate School, did not dampen Sally’s enthusiasm for joining the Company when she was introduced by her father, Arthur Walford (member of the Freedom) on starting work in the City. After reading law at Cambridge University, Sally qualified as a solicitor and practised at Slaughter and May before progressing to in-house roles. In 2009 Sally founded niche legal sector consultancy Firm Sense, bridging the communication gap between law firms and their clients. Whilst at Firm Sense, Sally has qualified as a business coach and has written three business books for lawyers.

Sally served as the Company’s link with the University of East London and as a governor of the university. Sally is now a member of the Haberdashers' Academies South Trust board.

Fourth Warden

Kunle Olafare

Kunle is a firm believer that life’s urgent and persistent question is “What are you doing for others?”. He also believes in education, employment and sending the elevator back down.

Kunle was offered a place at Hatcham College in 1988 to study his A Levels having completed his GCSE's at City of London Boys School

It was whilst working at Kleinwort Benson Private Bank that Kunle asked one of his former teachers at Hatcham if he could give talks to the sixth formers on personal finance, personal brand and life after school, leading him to be admitted as a member of the Freedom to the Haberdashers' Company in 2012.

Kunle spent four years as a governor at Haberdashers' Knights, before joining hte Charities Committee in 2014. He was elected to the Court of Assistants in 2019.

Kunle is the co-owner and Chief Executive of SK Financial.