About Rajesh

Rajesh Agrawal is the Deputy Mayor of London for business since 2016.

Rajesh was born and raised into a working class family in Indore, in central India. After finishing his education in 1999, he started his first full-time job of selling website designing for 5,000 rupees (£50) a month.
In 2001, Rajesh got an opportunity to move to London and aged 24, Rajesh made his first journey outside India arriving in London with £200 in his pocket.

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After working in IT support in a small business in London, Rajesh started his entrepreneurial journey. As an entrepreneur, he founded RationalFX in 2005, and Xendpay in 2014, both companies utilising technology to reduce the cost of international money transfer for small businesses; individuals. With opportunity and hard work, from two person start up, RationalFX became one of the leading international payments and FX platforms in Europe.

Sadly, not everyone gets that opportunity - inequality exists and one in four Londoners live in poverty. This is what inspired Rajesh to get more involved in community work and public service.

Rajesh is passionate about promoting entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for young people. He is the former Chair of Oxfam’s Enterprise Development Programme, a Patron of the Prince’s Trust and a former Trustee of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women

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As Deputy Mayor Rajesh aims to be a strong voice for London’s business community, protecting jobs and growth, and ensuring that the capital remains the most open and attractive place to do business in the world. He is the Chairman of London & Partners, London’s official investment and tourism promotion agency and Deputy Co-chair of London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP), which identifies strategic actions to support and lead economic growth and job creation in the capital. Rajesh chairs Jobs & Skills Business Partnership that works to improve and better align skills provision to meet skills needs in London. 

Rajesh is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of arts, manufacturers and commerce, a Freeman of the City of London, was Young Entrepreneur of the Year by Asian Whos Who and was awarded Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the Public & Political Life Awards by Baroness Betty Boothroyd in the Parliament.