Justine Simons, OBE: London's Deputy Mayor for Culture - and the "It Girl" of taxpayer-funded taxis

Paid £147,770 per year, Simons established the Fourth Plinth - which she once described as "the most successful artistic commission in the world"

Today I will introduce you to Justine Simons, OBE, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries.

Although much attention has been paid to Amy Lamé, London’s Night Czar, and one or two others from Sadiq Khan’s top team, it occurred to me that well over half have been sorely neglected in terms of media coverage; an injustice I intend to swiftly remedy.

With Simons playing “a central role in the cultural transformation of London for two decades”, according to the London Assembly website, I thought she would make a good follow-on from my pieces on Mete Coban, Khan’s new Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, and Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner.

Without further ado, a run-through of Simons’ achievements:

Cultural trailblazer

Simons was appointed Deputy Mayor for Culture in 2016. Currently on a salary of £147,770 per year, she’s co-chair of the capital’s “Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm”, responsible for “London’s Investment Strategy for the Creative Industries” and “established the Fourth Plinth as the UK’s biggest public sculpture prize”.

You know, that Fourth Plinth we all know and love:

The Guardian

Girl about town

Simons is a sociable sort, often photographed at high-profile events. In fact, going through her Instagram, you might think you’d stumbled upon the latest snaps of a Delevingne sister or similar high-society name.

Dig deeper, and you soon discover that Simons is a “disruptor”…

… who’s even worked on “the most successful artistic commission in the world”…

*according to herself

…the AMAZING Fourth Plinth:

Source: Sky

Taxi!

Although a “disruptor”, Simons’ desire to “disrupt” doesn’t appear to extend to choice of transport. In the financial year 2023-24 Simons was getting cabs all over town (her expenses here):

Perhaps she missed the memo from Khan that Londoners should get out of their cars. It’s not like he went on about it much.

I guess it’s different, though, when you’re a Deputy Mayor and incur late finishes at events such as the Serpentine Summer Party, Olivier and Mercury Awards. These things take their toll.

Come fly with me…

Eagle-eyed readers may notice that Simons’ travel expenses (£4,637.26 total) include £3,646.97 for a flight to a summit in Brazil. This was held by the World Cities Culture Forum, which Simons is chair of…

… and founded in 2012:

A “global influencer” and “an international speaker on culture, creativity and cities”, Simons often gives keynote speeches around the world.

Here she is in Brazil, October 2023:

“In the afternoon sessions on power sharing; gender gap; race and representation; the indigenous voice; LGBTQ+, arts and health, civic leadership and more”

Madrid, February 2024:

Sydney, June 2024:

And here’s a hint of where she could travel in future (Jakarta):

Global mayors

Khan’s team are an impressively global bunch.

There’s Mete Coban MBE, the new Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, who clocked up around 40,000 air miles over two years - so committed has he been to his charitable work in the US, which he was able to fulfil even while being a Hackney Councillor - and making a “cheeky” pit stop to Miami.

Then there’s the Mayor of London himself, co-chair of C40 - “a global network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities that are united in action to confront the climate crisis” - often needed around the world to impart environmental wisdom:

Clearly, as Simons put it in Sydney, this is a “Green”, “Global” and “Connected” team working for Khan.

Where will this “global influencer” and public servant extraordinaire head next?

I guess we’ll have to wait for next year’s expenses bill…

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