Published: Tue 11 May 2021, 8:18 PM
Picture retrieved from @RajeshAgrawal/Twitter
Sadiq Khan, who was re-elected mayor of London last week, on Tuesday retained India-born Rajesh Agrawal as the deputy mayor responsible for business in England's capital, besides others in his team that served in his first term in office.
An official statement said that Khan has made 'jobs, jobs, jobs' his top priority for his second term in office and has vowed to do everything he can to put young Londoners at the heart of the capital's recovery.
Born and raised in Indore, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh (MP), Agrawal moved to London in 2001 with e200 (Dh1,038.42) in his pocket. As an entrepreneur, he founded two global businesses ---- RationalFX in 2005, and Xendpay in 2014 ---- both companies utilising technology to reduce the cost of international money transfer for businesses and individuals.
Agrawal was first appointed in the role in 2016 and has since driven the business and economic brief from London's City Hall through the crisis caused by Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. He has also engaged with Indian interlocutors to increase UK-India trade.
Khan has also retained Shirley Rodrigues as the deputy mayor for environment and energy. Rodrigues was born in the Kenyan capital Nairobi and her family has roots in the villages of Siolim and Aldona in the coastal Indian state of Goa. The family migrated to Britain in 1967.
Khan said: “I am delighted to announce these key appointments to my top team. I look forward to working with them to deliver a better and brighter future for everyone who calls this amazing, diverse city home”.
“I pledge to use this second term to do everything I can to build the bridges that bring us closer together and I will work tirelessly throughout the next three years with my team to deliver for all Londoners,” he added.