Goldsmiths’ Company Names New Head

By JCK News Desk | May 22, 2026

The Goldsmiths’ Company announced that a well-known lawyer and investment executive, Sir Edward Braham, has become its prime warden—the most senior elected position within the centuries-old London trade guild.

One of the “Great 12” livery companies established in medieval times to manage London trades, the Goldsmiths’ continues to oversee the quality of British precious metals and provide training in goldsmithing, silversmithing, and jewelry-making. It supervises the London Assay Office, where items are tested and marked for purity, a practice that gave rise to the term hallmarking.

Braham joined the Goldsmiths’ Company in 1989, and from 2016 to 2022 was chair of the board of trustees for the Goldsmiths’ Centre, an education and work facility established by the guild. A former senior partner at Freshfields law firm and currently chair of the investment and pensions firm M&G, Braham received a knighthood last year for services to corporate law and business.

He is a non-executive board member of HM Treasury, the U.K. government’s finance ministry, and a commissioner of the Global Commission on Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking. Braham also serves as chair of both the Charities Aid Foundation and the Lord Mayor’s Appeal.

His appointment comes as the Goldsmiths’ Company approaches its 700th year. In a press release, he said the milestone provides an opportunity to highlight the organization’s history, philanthropic work, and strategic planning for its next century.

The Goldsmiths’ Company is also sharing the story of the trade through its support of the London Museum, scheduled to open—with a goldsmithing gallery—in a new location in late 2026. The guild has about 1,600 active members.

The JCK News Desk uses AI to help research and produce the first draft of articles. This story was then reviewed by staff writer David Blomquist.

(Photo: Paul Read Photography, courtesy the Goldsmiths’ Company)