Sir Robin Wales served as the directly elected mayor of the London Borough of Newham from 2002 to 2018, after being the leader of Newham council since 1995. Robin became Labour's first directly elected mayor in England and was re-elected in 2006, 2010, and 2014. He prioritised improving the economic prosperity of Newham's residents and gained visibility during the 2012 Olympics hosted in Newham. Wales, currently affiliated with the think tank Policy Exchange, has been involved in controversies during his mayoralty.