The Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards) have announced this year’s winners as Black History Month drew to a close over the weekend.
For the seventh year in a row, the BBBAwards celebrated the outstanding achievements of Black British professionals and entrepreneurs, highlighting the community’s commercial contribution to the UK economy. They also identified formidable role models and mentors across a number of sectors. The awards ceremony “crowns a landmark year in history for racial equity and featured a special recognition for Black British frontline workers”, according to the organisers.
INSPIRING THE NEXT BLACK GENERATION
In addition to naming the Black British Business Person of the Year, the event also recognised the rising stars and senior leader winners in six industries. This year’s winners are some of the most determined and innovative Black leaders in the UK across a variety of professions. They range from a Founder of a revolutionary equine nutrition system to a Project Manager at Transport for London and Senior Partner at BWF Solicitors. They are inspiring the next generation of Black talent to challenge convention and follow in their footsteps.
OUTSTANDING TALENT
The BBBAwards ceremony distinguished outstanding Black business talent in six industry categories, which are divided into rising star and senior leader awards. Segun Osuntokun, Managing Partner at top 20 international law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) London Office scooped Business Person of the Year at this year’s BBBAwards virtual ceremony.
Osuntokun impressed the judges with his strategic leadership at BCLP on complex projects for over 30 FTSE 100 companies and more than 50 Global Fortune 500 companies all with his unwavering passion for race equity in his 25+ year career in business.
2020 BBBAWARD WINNERS
The full list of winners of the 2020 BBBAwards are as follows:
- Black British Business Person of the Year: Segun Osuntokun, Managing Partner at BCLP, London Office
- Arts & Media Rising Star: Nnena Nwakodo, Producer at Bartle Bogle Hegarty
- Arts & Media Senior Leader: Anthony Andrews, Co-founder and Creative Director of We Are Parable
- Consumer & Luxury Rising Star: Rachael Corson and Joycelyn Mate, Co-founders of Afrocenchix
- Consumer & Luxury Senior Leader: Sandra Murphy, Founder of Equidiet UK Ltd
- Entrepreneur Rising Star: Ayesha Ofori, CEO and Founder of Black Property Network
- Entrepreneur Senior Leader Winner: Trevor Robinson OBE, Founder and Executive Creative Director of Quiet Storm
- Financial Services Rising Star: Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy, Senior Digital Product Manager at Barclays
- Financial Services Senior Leader: Gavin Lewis, Managing Director, Head of UK LGPS at BlackRock
- Professional Services Rising Star: Natalie Carter, Senior Associate at Greenberg Traurig LLP
- Professional Services Senior Leader: Bennard Owusu, Senior Partner at BWF Solicitors
- STEM Rising Star: Ninarita Williams, Project Manager at Transport for London
- STEM Senior Leader: Dr Abdullahi Sheriff, Executive, Solutions Strategy, Strategic Partnerships & Solutions, Europe at GE Healthcare
INSPIRING ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Commenting on this year’s winners, Melanie Eusebe, Chair and Co-Founder of the Black British Business Awards, stated: “After a year filled with so many challenges, it was rewarding to take a step back this month to reflect not only on the history of the Black community here in the UK, but also to celebrate the incredible individuals who are making their mark now. Our category celebration events along with the awards ceremony provided us with many opportunities to reflect on how far our community has come, while recognising there is still much work to be done.”
Adding to her comments, Sophie Chandauka, Co-Founder of the Black British Business Awards said: “Each of our finalists and award winners is a source of inspiration, highlighting the significant accomplishments and important contributions the Black community is making in every sector of the business world. They all deserve recognition and congratulations for their accomplishments and it was our pleasure to honour them at the Black British Business Awards events this October.”
BBBAwards’ key partner and sponsor this year was JP Morgan. Other sponsors include Barclays, Baker McKenzie, Bloomberg, Cisco, the Executive Leadership Council, Facebook, Fortnum and Mason, Freshfields, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Virgin Management, Wellington Management and Wells Fargo.
“JP Morgan continues to be a proud sponsor of the Black British Business Awards, which shines a light on exceptional talent in business,” noted Tia Counts, Head of Advancing Black Pathways in EMEA at JP Morgan. ” Year on year, the individual stories behind the awards never cease to make us proud of what our community can achieve. We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to all of this year’s winners and finalists.”
Check out Segun Osuntokun guest column urging law firms to become more inclusive here.
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