The Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs becomes the 112th Livery Company of the City of London

Earlier this week, The Court of Alderman of the City of London approved the petition of the Company of Entrepreneurs to become a Livery Company of the City of London.

The Company of Entrepreneurs will now be known as the Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs, and is ranked 112 th in the order of precedence of Livery Companies.

At a meeting of the Court of Aldermen on 4th February 2025, the petition of the Company of Entrepreneurs was approved unanimously. The Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs becomes the 112th Livery Company of the City of London, and follows the Worshipful Company of Nurses (which became Livery Company 111 in 2023).

The then Guild of Entrepreneurs was founded in 2014 by Dan Doherty, assisted by Adèle Thorpe, together with 15 other entrepreneurs with a connection to the City of London. Dan was a member of the Worshipful Company of Needlemakers, Worshipful Company of Marketors, and the Worshipful Company of Educators. It was the founding team’s belief that the unique professional and academic discipline of entrepreneurship deserved to be recognised fully by its own Livery Company. Following the Foundation Mastership of Alderman Sir Paul Judge, Dan was installed as the Guild’s second Master in November 2015.

Tragically, Dan Doherty was diagnosed with a brain tumour shortly before taking up his role as Master, and died in 2016.

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Speaking of the progression, James Talbot, the current Master Entrepreneur, observed: “Dan had a clear vision for a Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs, and we are immensely proud to have reached Livery in the 10th anniversary year of the Guild. We commemorate
Dan’s life and vision annually, and we are certain he would be very proud of all we have achieved.”

Speaking of the role the Company plays in the City, he continued: “Probably more so than at any time in history, Entrepreneurship defines so much of the ambition of our working population today, and the driving force of the City of London plays a key part in the UK economy. We are immensely proud of what our successful Freemen Entrepreneurs have done to help those earlier in their own journeys. As cited, 98% of the businesses in the City are defined as SMEs, founded by and managed by active business owners. There is much to be done! As a Livery Company we are now able to play our full role supporting the Lord Mayor and the City of London Corporation alongside our Livery peers.”