Mete Coban MBE became the London Borough of Hackney’s youngest ever councillor at the age of 21, while still a university student. A year earlier, at 20, he had already helped set up the charity My Life My Say to encourage young people to participate in democracy.
Today, Mete is Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy, the youngest Deputy Mayor in London's history, leading the capital's work on climate action, clean energy, air quality, nature recovery and climate resilience. In July 2026, he received an Honorary Doctor of Arts from the University of Greenwich, recognising his outstanding record of achievement and distinction in fields of education and public service and his exceptional contribution to society at a local level through his charitable work.
Mete is on a mission to modernise politics so that young people find it easy to get involved. He says when young people are asked what they’d like to change, whether it’s the daily commute or global warming, young people see it as issue based and that “you don’t need to be a politician to do politics”.
He is impressed by the way Greenwich prepares students for the world of work: “For instance, my charity works with the university, so we get our work done by very innovative young people, while the students get paid and pick up great work experience. I love that.”
“The best thing about the University of Greenwich is the relationship with lecturers and the support they give. It was 100% important to my development. I didn’t just get an education; I found clarity of purpose.”
“My politics lecturer challenged my views in order to make me think. It was a safe environment where I could work out what I stood for and what to do about it. That’s when I decided to stand as a councillor.”
Over three terms as a Hackney Councillor, Mete served as Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, delivering a £61 million Green New Deal and pioneering the borough's Community Energy Fund, which helped local organisations generate community-owned renewable energy.
As Chief Executive of My Life My Say, Mete founded the All-Party Parliamentary Group on a Better Brexit for Young People and helped contribute to the increased turnout of young people at the 2017 UK General Election. Through My Life My Say's Give an X campaign, he went on to help register more than 488,000 voters ahead of the 2024 General Election – the largest youth voter registration campaign in British history.
Following his appointment as Deputy Mayor in 2024, Mete stepped down as Chief Executive of My Life My Say after eleven years leading the organisation he founded, transitioning to the charity's board of trustees.
In 2018, he received the UK Government’s National Democracy Change-Maker of the Year Award and was shortlisted for One Young World Politician of the Year 2019, which celebrates the most impressive, impactful, young politicians around the world.
In the same year, he was also awarded the University of Greenwich alumnus of the year award at a special ceremony in the Painted Hall. In 2020, Mete was recognised for his services to young people and democracy with an MBE.
He currently serves as Chair of ReLondon and is a Trustee of My Life My Say, the London Marathon Foundation, King's Trust International and C40 Cities.
