Westminster Accounting and Business Management BA Honours graduate Councillor Princess Opeyemi Bright has been inaugurated as the youngest ever Civic Mayor of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham at 29 years of age.
After winning the mayoral election in March, an official inauguration ceremony took place on 16 May. Princess was elected as Mayor after seven years of service on the council, following another history-making election in 2018 as the Borough’s youngest-ever Labour councillor at the age of 22.
A year after her election as councillor, Princess was appointed Chair of the Borough’s Audit and Standards Committee. In this role, she used her accountancy skills and private sector audit expertise to advocate for strong financial management and governance across the board.
Outside of politics, Princess is a Chartered Accountant who began her career in investment banking after graduating from Westminster in 2017. She transitioned into the technology industry in 2021 and worked as a Senior Operations Manager for Uber UK before leaving to focus on her duties as mayor.
Princess has shared her professional expertise with Westminster students at a What Comes Next? panel discussion which explored future careers for those studying Finance and Accounting. She has also provided insight into her role shaping the political sphere at a Black History Year event titled Politically Black.
About her time at Westminster Princess said: “My time at Westminster played a significant part in shaping my personal and professional journey. The support, exposure and leadership opportunities I experienced during my undergraduate studies helped lay the foundation for where I am today. People can follow my journey as Mayor of Barking and Dagenham on Instagram via @ladyprixo.”
Jennifer Stubberfield, Senior Alumni Communications Officer at Westminster's Alumni Relations Office, said: “This is an outstanding achievement and we are so proud of Princess and her dedication to supporting the local community. Princess continues to be a fantastic role model for future Westminster graduates and we’re so excited to see the positive impact she has as Mayor.”
Princess’ work on the council directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about Accounting and Finance courses at the University of Westminster.
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