Mayor Making 2023: Cllr Lubna Lubna Arshad becomes the Lord Mayor of Oxford

Councillor Lubna Arshad was sworn in as the new Lord Mayor of Oxford at the Annual Council Meeting on Wednesday 17 May in Oxford Town Hall.

Guests and fellow councillors watched the traditional ceremony in person, as the retiring Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor James Fry, officially stepped down and handed over his chains of office to Councillor Arshad.

Councillor James Fry was appointed Deputy Lord Mayor and Councillor Mark Lygo was appointed Sheriff.

Lubna Arshad, born in Oxford, UK, was raised in the city and completed her studies with a BSC (Hons) degree in Computer Network Technologies from Manchester.

With over 15 years of experience in the IT industry, Lubna's passion for equality and fairness led her to be elected as a City Councillor in 2018, representing Cowley Marsh initially, and later, due to electoral boundary changes, serving Temple Cowley. Lubna Arshad is a former MEP candidate for the SE Region and has also represented on various committees including the Scrutiny Panel, Planning and the Housing Panel.

Lubna has made history as the first woman of colour, first Muslim woman of intersectional background, and the youngest Lord Mayor representing the city. Her achievement is ground breaking and represents significant progress towards diversity, inclusivity, and representation in leadership roles.

As a trailblazer for equal representation, Lubna is known for making a difference and advocating for ambitious initiatives to close the gender pay gap and protect religious freedom, with a particularly passion for supporting ambitious programs for young people and eradicating poverty. Her dedication to humanitarian projects and pursuit of justice resonates strongly, and she serves as an aspiring role model for fearless change, ensuring that all voices are heard.

The Lord Mayor’s charities for 2023/24 are Humanity First, Oxford Community Action and Asylum Welcome.