An August Welcome

New York Consul-General Danny Lopez’s First Month

It is hard to describe the excitement I felt when I was first informed that I’d been selected to be the next British Consul-General in New York. I spent two years living in the Big Apple in the early 2000s working for Barclays Bank, and I very much hoped to return one day. New York is more than just a city: it is pulsating and frenetic, a city in which anything seems possible, at any moment.

With that in mind, and given that August is typically a quiet month, particularly in Europe, I had initially expected this past month to be a calmer time to start my position. It would be, I thought, a better time for me to get on top of my brief and lay the foundations for the months ahead, particularly prior to the warp speed of September. Instead, we’ve ended up going full-throttle all month, and one thing’s for certain: this post is bound to be anything but calm, year-round.

My colleagues gave me a very warm welcome on my very first day, 1 August, and I was thrilled to follow that greeting by attending the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) 50th Birthday Celebration that same day. Later that week, I attended the British Societies of New York Annual Garden Party, where I accepted the role as Honorary President of the St. George’s Society.  That same evening, I toasted our staff softball team’s valiant—there’s always next year!—effort in the annual game against the New York City Mayor’s Office, where I met several mayor’s office staffers and learned more about the longstanding good relations we enjoy with the city.

I’ve met some fascinating people in a remarkably short period, and it’s been most enjoyable. Susan Haird, Acting Chief Executive of UK Trade & Investment, visited us on 8 and 9 August and our UK Trade & Investment team put together a great programme of calls. We were able to use Susan’s visit as an opportunity to promote the exciting opportunities for technology, digital, and creative companies in London’s Tech City, as well as interact with a large number of companies across key sectors. The following weekend, British businessman Peter Brown graciously hosted a meet-and-greet party for me at his home in East Hampton, allowing me the opportunity to see a picturesque part of our consular region during peak season and meet some key people from the business, media, and cultural communities.

My other objective for August was to begin my training for the New York City Marathon in November. On 11 August, I had the pleasure of a run through Central Park with the heroic Mark Allison, of Run Geordie Run, who recently ran 3,100 miles across the US in 100 days to raise money for The Children’s Foundation and St. Benedict’s Hospice in the UK. His achievement is simply phenomenal and running with Mark was a real honour, as well as good fun. The following week, I also visited the New York Stock Exchange, where I met traders like Doreen Mogavero, the first woman on the stock floor, and the longest serving member of the trade floor, Jimmy Maguire of Barclays, who’s served for a total of 62 years. As a film fan, another highlight of that visit was a very “New York moment” when I met trader Mike Rutigliano, who made a cameo as Gordon Gekko’s trader in the 1987 film Wall Street. No Charlie Sheen sightings, though.

I also got a taste of our Consular emergency response and management last weekend as the East Coast braced itself for the arrival of Hurricane Irene. I was greatly impressed with the coordination and responsiveness of my colleagues and their dedication to the well being of British nationals and travellers throughout the ordeal. My heart goes out to the individuals and families throughout our region that have been caused great hardship by Irene, and our team continues to monitor the situation to ensure any British nationals in need will receive the right support and guidance.

But perhaps what I’ve enjoyed most this month has been my one-to-one meetings with my colleagues, which has provided me with an opportunity to get to know everyone and have a better grasp on the day-to-day functioning of the Consulate at all levels. I greatly appreciate the warm welcome I’ve been given across the board, and as I prepare for the busy month of September, I’m glad to have hit the ground running.

The British Consulate-General in New York is high-performing and has an excellent reputation as it works hard to promote the UK economy, support British nationals, and demonstrate that the UK is the partner of choice in the New York region. After my first month and having met a number of key influencers here, I really relish the opportunity to work with my team to achieve these goals. August’s pace was rather unpredictable, so I won’t even try to anticipate the month ahead!

Best,
Danny