Ten Black business leaders to watch

Representation matters. Seeing people who look like you, and watching what those people do, can positively or negatively shape your expectations and beliefs for what you can achieve.

But there are painfully few Black senior leaders in the arena of global business. C-suites across the largest firms in the world remain largely untransformed. In July 2014, in the UK, out of all 100 FTSE companies, there were only two Black executives in the top roles (CEO, CFO or Chair). This year, there were none. That’s not one single black CEO, CFO or Chair out of 100 UK companies.

So, it is reassuring to see this group of excellent and accomplished individuals bucking that trend. They are not only occupying some of the highest positions in business, but they are also being unapologetic about who they are and leveraging their identities to help reshape the business world.

Many of them have entered industries that have not typically been associated with Black people. They are all using their voices and positions to defy stereotypes, change the narrative and pave the way for those who will come after them.