After more than 35 years with the City of London, Martin Hayward has announced that he will be retiring in the new year.
London’s city manager made the announcement during Tuesday night’s city council meeting, saying he would retire from his role by the end of January 2020.
The announcement was followed by applause from councillors and city staff alike.
“We have a phenomenal working relationship together, and they all do a top-notch job in this city and for this city, and so my appreciation goes to them as well for working with me,” Hayward said during Tuesday’s meeting before receiving lengthy applause from the councillors and city staff in attendance.
“There have been lots of challenges, lots of opportunities and lots of rewards along the way. My focus has always been on what I can do to move the organization forward,” he said.
Hayward started with the city in 1984 as a janitor at the Hamilton Road Seniors’ Centre and was named city manager in 2017 after previously serving as city treasurer and chief financial officer.
During his time in the city’s finance division, where he spent the majority of his career, he was instrumental in modernizing the budget process over many years, culminating in the creation of the multi-year budget and an extensive engagement process.
“We are grateful for the exceptional leadership that Martin has provided throughout his time at the city and, in particular, in his role as city manager,” said London Mayor Ed Holder.
“He leads both with his head and with his heart. His commitment to this organization and to the community has been unwavering,” the mayor added. “It’s reflected in the long list of accomplishments and in the relationships he has built with council, with employees and with countless organizations throughout the city.”
The recruitment process for a new city manager will begin immediately with the goal of filling the role prior to Hayward’s departure.
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