Black British Business Awards announces 2020 finalists
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The Black British Business Awards has announced its 2020 finalists, who have been selected for their outstanding business talent.
The award recognises rising stars and leaders across industries, including financial services and professional services.
The Black British Business Awards say the finalists have been picked as they “embody the Black British community’s ability to prevail, excel and lead through adversity.”
The 37 individuals have showecased their “outstanding personal and professional” achievements against the backdrop of the pandemic and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement.
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The 2020 finalists will appear in a digital events campaign throughout September alongside industry experts and thought leaders. The Black British Business Awards said it also wanted to showcase the companies “changing the narrative and challenging racial injustice in the workplace”.
The campaign will also include a tribute to Black British frontline workers, who will be profiled in the months leading to the ceremony.
Winners for each category, as well as the British Business Person of the Year, will be revealed at the Black British Business Awards Digital Ceremony on 2 October 2020.
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Melanie Eusebe and Sophie Chandauka, co-founders of the awards said: “This year’s finalists are some of the most determined and innovative black leaders in the UK.”
“These exceptional individuals should be extremely proud of their achievements, they are inspiring the next generation of black talent to challenge convention and follow in their footsteps. We wish them the very best of luck.”
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Black British Business Awards 2020 finalists
Art and Media Rising Star
Magdalene Abraha – Publisher at Jacaranda Books
Malakaï Sargeant – Director of Theatre Peckham
Nnena Nwakodo – Producer at Bartle Bogle Hegarty
Art and Media Leader of the Year
Anthony Andrews – Co-founder and Creative Director of We Are Parable
Denise Maxwell – Director and Lead Photographer at Lensi Photography
Gail Babb – Lecturer and Deputy Director of BA Performance at Goldsmith University
Consumer and Luxury Rising Star
Iré Hassan-Odukale – Managing Director at Ikoyi
Rachael Corson and Joycelyn Mate – Co-founders of Afrocenchix
Sarah-Jane Bampoe-Addo – Senior Program Manager at Amazon
Consumer and Luxury Leader of the Year
Brandie Deignan – Managing Director at Marco Pierre White Restaurants
Nigel and Victoria Ogunniyi – Co-founders of FAVOUR Catering and Events
Sandra Murphy – Founder of Equidiet UK Ltd
Entrepreneur Rising Star
Ayesha Ofori – CEO and Founder of Black Property Network
Izzy Obeng – Founder of Foundervine
Wilfred Fianko, Stephen Boakye and Peter Olowe – Co-founders of Cornerstone
Partners
Entrepreneur Leader of the Year
Julia Senah – Clinical Director of Almond Care Limited
Sanmi Adegoke – CEO of Rehoboth Property International
Trevor Robinson OBE – Founder and Executive Creative Director of Quiet Storm
Financial Services Rising Stars
Lewis Sinclair Parry – Associate of Rothschild & Co
Mariolla Baffour – Vice President, Securities Division of Goldman Sachs
Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy – Digital Product Manager at Barclays
Financial Services Leader of the Year
Anulika Ajufo – Head of Investments (Africa and Middle East) and Global Head of
Investment Consulting, The Sagana Group
Gavin Lewis – Managing Director, Head of UK LGPS at BlackRock
Kene Ejikeme – Managing Director, Securities Division at Goldman Sachs
Professional Services Rising Star
Alex Alleyne – Enterprise Sales Lead at Amazon Web Services
Anthony Ojukwu – Associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Natalie Carter – Senior Associate at Greenberg Traurig LLP
Professional Services Leader of the year
Bennard Owusu – Senior Partner at BWF Solicitors
Nnenna Ilomechina – Managing Director and Partner, Strategy, Communications, Media, Tech at Accenture
Segun Osuntokun – London Office Managing Partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
STEM Rising Star
Frida Nzaba – Advanced Manufacturing Engineer at Rolls-Royce
Georgia Thompson – Design Co-ordinator at BAM Nuttall
Ninarita Williams – Project Manager at Transport for London
STEM Leader of the year
Dr Abdullahi Sheriff – Executive, Solutions Strategy, Strategic Partnerships &
Solutions, Europe at GE Healthcare
Cecil Peters – Executive Director, JPMorgan Chase & Co
Obum Ekeke – Global Lead, University Relations & Educational Partnerships at
DeepMind
Rachael Palmer – Head of VC and Start-up Partnerships, EMEA at Google