Bear was a key figure in the redevelopment of Spitalfields Market, situated just to the northeast of the City in Tower Hamlets.

Sir Michael is a civil engineer and a management leader in both the construction and property industries in the UK and abroad.

When it came to light that his successor, Prem Goyal, had printed about 1,000 leaflets using the corporations equipment, Bear made a formal complaint which led to the matter being considered by the standards sub-committee who accepted Goyal's apology as regards to the matter provided he underwent training and repaid the cost of the printing.

[1] As Lord Mayor, Bear played a promotional role for the Square Mile, and claimed a remit for the whole of the UK-wide financial and professional services industry.

From 1993 to 2012, he was managing director of Balfour Beatty Properties where he specialised in working on private finance initiatives (PFIs) and public-private partnerships (PPPs).