SFI's Past President and Distinguished Shannan Professor Geoffrey West has received the Freedom of the City of London award. West was nominated by the Lord Mayor, Professor Michael Mainelli, for his work on scaling theory and its implications for the growth and dynamics of cities, companies, and the sustainability of the planet. West received the award at a ceremony in London’s Mansion House on October 28.
The Freedom of the City of London is one of the City’s oldest traditional ceremonies, dating back to 1237. Beginning in the Middle Ages, it granted guild and livery members the right to trade. Today, while livery members can still apply for it, the Freedom is primarily obtained by nomination and is given to individuals in recognition of their outstanding contribution to London or public life or to celebrate a very significant achievement. And now, as in the Middle Ages, the award carries a set of requirements, including a nominal “fine” and various privileges, including permission to walk sheep into the City.
West says that driving a herd of sheep across London Bridge would be one of the highlights of his life. “In an age when the pace of life and the speed of innovation are continually increasing, it would be quite a relief to slow down and move at the speed of ruminants while tapping into a wonderful historic tradition,” he says. “Having grown up and spent my formative years in London, including having worked in the old City of London, I am deeply honored and moved to have received this award. My parents, who were cockneys, would have been immensely proud.”
SFI External Professor Ole Peters (London Mathematical Laboratory) was also a recipient of the Freedom of the City of London this year, awarded on July 19, 2024.