EMPOWER ROLE MODELS: Driving the Diversity & Inclusion Agenda

INvolve has published its annual Empower Role Model Lists, which celebrate businesspeople playing a central role in breaking down barriers at work for Black people and other ethnic minorities; using their positions to keep diversity and inclusion at the top of the agenda.

This year, for the first time, the lists are global; rather than restricted to submissions from Europe, the US and Canada. The global lists feature Role Models from a wide range of countries; reflecting different stories, experiences and strengthening the cohort with increased intersectionality.

The Empower lists celebrate role models in business who are smashing barriers; and doing the work to advocate for people of colour across global businesses. “These Role Models have made it their mission to make a real difference; and we must look to them as examples of how we can all contribute to the removal of barriers and create businesses where everyone can thrive,” stated Suki Sandhu OBE, Founder and CEO of INvolve.

TOP 10 OF 100 EMPOWER EXECUTIVE ROLE MODELS

1. Tiger Tyagarajan, CEO at Genpact LLC
2. John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, of Operation Hope
3. Funmi Adegoke, Group General Counsel and Chief Sustainability Officer at Halma Plc
4. Timothy Wilkins, Global Partner for Client Sustainability, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
5. Shirine Khoury-Haq, Interim CEO, CO-OP Group Ltd
6. Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive, Diageo
7. Kirk McDonald, CEO of GroupM, North America
8. Bina Mehta MBE, Chair, KPMG UK
9. Monique D Jefferson, Chief Human Resources Officer, New York Public Radio
10. Dionne Aiken, Profiles division, Kantar

Commenting on scooping the top position on this year’s global 100 Empower Executives Role Model List, Tiger Tyagarajan, CEO at Genpact LLC, stated: “Embedding true diversity of perspective – across gender, ethnicity, race, and cognitive ability – into the fabric of an organisation is critical to creating meaningful client outcomes and unlocking competitive advantage. For Genpact, it is an agenda that is inextricably linked to our business strategy. I am honoured to be recognised as an Empower Role Model; and to spearhead our journey in driving innovation that matters for the world.”

TOP 10 OF 100 EMPOWER FUTURE LEADERS

1. Crystal Sai, Executive Director, Chief of Staff, Global Online, Estee Lauder Companies
2. Radhika Balasubramani, Director – Global Technical Operations Lead, Merck
3. Walter Diaz, Project Leader, Boston Consulting Group
4. Omar Ahmed, Technical Project Manager, GSK
5. Laura Wheeler, Investment Operations – Specialist, Capital Group
6. Selina Lau, Senior Associate, Clifford Chance
7. Deon Pillay, Head of Marketing Operations, Legal and General Investments
8. Anthony “Tony” Mayo, Managing Director and Chief Information Officer of BNY Mellon Asset Management Technology Global Distribution and Marketing; BNY Mellon
9. Ayomide Akin, Growth Strategy Manager, Accenture
10. Emily Mathews, Managing Director, Legal & Compliance, Blackstone

Commenting on being named number one in the Empower 100 Future Leaders List, Crystal Sai, Executive Director, Chief of Staff, Global Online at Estée Lauder Companies, stated: “I am honoured and very humbled to be named number one to Empower’s 100 Future Leaders Role Model List; and to be recognised for this critical work. I believe that DE&I should be embedded in everything that we do; every time we walk into a room without diversity, we are leaving innovation, creativity, and diversity of thought/experiences on the table. This work is tough, I couldn’t do it without the help of my community, both personally and professionally.”

TOP 10 OF 50 LEADING ADVOCATES FOR ETHNIC MINORITY INDIVIDUALS

1. Mark Read, Chief Executive, WPP
2. Anne Richards, CEO, Fidelity International
3. Keri Gilder, CEO, Colt Technology Services
4. Jim Fitterling, Chairman and CEO, DOW
5. Keith Barr, CEO, IHG Hotels & Resorts
6. David Shelley, Group CEO, Hachette UK
7. Anne Erni, Chief People Officer, Audible
8. Jason Tarry, CEO, UK & ROI, Tesco
9. Diana Conrad, Chief People Officer, GSK
10. Robyn Grew, Global COO & GC, Head of ESG, Head of Man Group US

Commenting on being honoured as the number one leading Advocate for Ethnic Minority individuals in the 2022 honours, Mark Read, Chief Executive at WPP, stated: “For WPP, a diverse and inclusive culture is a business opportunity as well as an imperative. Building teams from different backgrounds and experiences helps us to understand our audiences better, deliver innovation and produce the best work for our clients. Ultimately, our success is driven by our people; and I’m proud of what we’re doing together across WPP to create a culture where people feel they belong and want to be a part of.”

Click here for the complete lists.

Almost half of UK’s corporate decision makers believe their company has an ethnicity pay gap, new research has found. Click here to read more.