Asad Aamir Ansari was joined by Michael Mainelli (Sheriff, and Alderman), Mark Wheatley (Common Councillor), and Moawia Bin-Sufyan as he was recognised being a Freeman for the City of London on 23/02/2021 by Laura Miller (Deputy Clerk to the Chamberlain’s Court).

About being a Freeman for the City of London

One of the oldest surviving traditional ceremonies still in existence today, is believed to have been first presented in 1237. The Freedom of the City of London is a recognition awarded to people who have achieved success, recognition or celebrity in their chosen field.

The medieval term ‘freeman’ meant someone who was not the property of a feudal lord but enjoyed privileges such as the right to earn money and own land. Town dwellers who were protected by the charter of their town or city were often free – hence the term ‘freedom’ of the City.

There are a number of rights traditionally but apocryphally associated with freemen—the right to drive sheep and cattle over London Bridge; to a silken rope, if hanged; to carry a naked sword in public; or that if the City of London Police finds a freeman drunk and incapable, they will bundle him or her into a taxi and send them home rather than throw them into a cell. While sheep have occasionally been driven over London Bridge by Freemen on special occasions, these “privileges” are now effectively symbolic.

Others who have received the Freeman or Free Sister recognition are amongst Royal Family members; HRH Princess Elizabeth, HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. Prime ministers of the United Kingdom; Rt Hon Winston Churchill, Rt Hon Margaret Thatcher (26 May 1989). Presidents of the United States of America; Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower.  Entrepreneurs and academic; Bill Gates, Jimmy Choo, George Helon, JP, and other Senior officials within Royal Family, Politics, Business, and celebrity in their chosen field.

About Asad Aamir Ansari

Following his corporate background at Deloitte within Risk Advisory, Asad Aamir Ansari went onto found RiskIntel, providing risk intelligence services to mitigate third party and reputational risk.

He is also a Partner at AccrediNation, a global accreditation provider across multiple sectors with the aim to improve education standards and bring integrity and quality to Human Resources.

Away from business, Asad is a board members for the British Armed Forces interfaith and Defence communication group committee, candidate for City of London’s 2022 general elections and an Ambassador for Graham Layton Trust. More recently Asad is supporting the British Asian Trust on their Mental Health project in Pakistan.