Historic Milestone: Two South Asian-Origin Leaders Appointed Civic Mayor and Deputy Civic Mayor of Croydon. Meet the new Civic Mayor and Deputy Civic Mayor for Croydon. Croydon’s new Civic Mayor, Councillor Richard Chatterjee, has been appointed at a special mayor making ceremony at Annual Council.
Councillor Chatterjee grew up in Croydon and was an NHS hospital pharmacist for 16 years before working in the civil service for 23 years. He has also been a public sector trade union activist since 1990.
He became a Shirley ward councillor in 2002 and has held various roles, including the RE committee SACRE, the Fairtrade committee, Autism Partnership Board, and serving as Deputy Civic Mayor in 2024-2025.
He is a member of Woodside Baptist Church and was a founding trustee of Woodside Bereavement Service (WBS), serving as trustee for 20 years. WBS is one of his chosen charities to support this year, alongside Croydon Neighbourhood Care Association (CNCA).
The Civic Mayor will perform ceremonial and public duties across the borough during his year in office. This is a different role to that of the Executive Mayor who is elected by the residents of Croydon every four years to lead the council.
The new Civic Mayor said: “It is a great honour for me to serve as Civic Mayor – a role of public service to our very diverse borough. I look forward to the year ahead and remain committed to raising awareness and support for my chosen charities.”
Assisting the Civic Mayor in his position is the new Deputy Civic Mayor, Councillor Mohammed Islam. Councillor Islam said he is proud to represent the borough, to celebrate its diverse communities and promote Croydon as a place of opportunity and progress.
Originally from Ipswich, Councillor Islam has proudly called Croydon home since 1980. The Selhurst ward councillor has lived in Selhurst for 22 years with his wife, Farhana, and four children, and works as an Approved Driving Instructor.
He is a founding member of the British Bangladeshi Society of Croydon (BBSC), which offers educational, cultural, and wellbeing support to the community.
Councillor Islam said: “As Deputy Civic Mayor, my priority is to uphold the values of inclusivity, respect, and unity across Croydon. I will continue to work closely with residents, community groups, and local organisations to ensure that every voice is heard, and that Croydon remains a great place to live, work, and thrive.”
“I would like to congratulate Councillor Chatterjee and Councillor Islam on their new positions. It is a great honour and a privilege to be chosen to serve the community in this civic role and I wish them well throughout their term of service.”
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon
