 Educated at Eton and Durham University, graduating LLB, Russell started his career in financial services at First Boston in 1987, and joined Merrill Lynch in 1992, working in Hong Kong, New York and London, before leaving in 2006.Since 2013 Alderman Russell represents Bread Street Ward on the City of London Corporation, serving as Sheriff of the City of London for 2016–17, and was elected Lord Mayor on 1 October 2019, taking office before the Lord Mayor's Show on 9 November 2019.He is also a Feltmaker and an Honorary Liveryman of the Paviors' Company.