Former New York City mayor and entrepreneur Michael Bloomberg will deliver the commencement address to the class of 2019, Chancellor Mark Wrighton announced at the senior toast today.

Bloomberg served as the mayor of New York City from 2002-13 and is the founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies. As the United Nation secretary-general’s special envoy for climate change, Bloomberg also leads several initiatives to spur efforts to combat climate change. One such initiative, the Beyond Coal campaign formed with the Sierra Club, aims to move America towards cleaner energy by retiring coal plants.

Bloomberg Philanthropies supports the American Talent Initiative, a coalition of over 100 top universities, including Washington University, that aims to expand opportunities for low-income students in higher education.

In addition to delivering the commencement address, Bloomberg will also receive an honorary doctor of laws degree from Washington University during the ceremony. Bloomberg graduated from Johns Hopkins in 1964 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1966.

Wrighton said that he believes Bloomberg’s commencement address will inspire and motivate the graduates to make an impact on the world.

“As an entrepreneur and business executive, the mayor of one of the largest and most dynamic cities in the world, and as a philanthropist who has consistently and generously invested in solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges, Michael Bloomberg is one of our most creative and innovative leaders,” Wrighton wrote in a statement.

Bloomberg said in a statement to the University that he is honored to have been invited to address the class of 2019.

“For generations, Wash. U. graduates have made important contributions in every field, and today, the University’s leadership extends to one of the great challenges facing our world: climate change,” Bloomberg wrote. “I’m looking forward to being part of the graduating students’ big day.”