The inaugural mayor Jules Pipe was succeeded by Philip Glanville following an election on 15 September 2016.

Fellow Labour Party councillor Caroline Woodley was elected as Mayor in November 2023.

The directly elected mayoralty was created following a referendum on 2 May 2002 in the London Borough of Hackney.

[1] 70.1% of voters supported changing the executive arrangements of Hackney London Borough Council to a directly elected mayor.

[3] A by-election was held on 9 November to fill the remainder of the term,[4] and was won by Caroline Woodley, a Labour councillor for Cazenove ward.