The 2026 Black British Business Awards Finalists
Meet our amazing 2026 BBBAwards finalists, from across all seven categories.
Arts and Media
Rising Stars
Femi Bello
Creative Director, Femi Worldwide
Sheniece Charway
Artist Partnerships Manager (EMEA), YouTube/ Google
Bonita Samuels
Senior Associate Director – Inclusive Planning & Culture Lead, WPP Media
Senior Leaders
Akama Davies
General Manager, The Trade Desk
Nana Fifield
Director of Technology, Amazon Prime Video
Amie Parker-Williams
Director, Digital Commissioning & Production, Paramount
Entrepreneur
Rising Stars
Abdul Bangura
CEO, ALAC Group
Jesse Owusu
CEO and Co-Founder, CORD
Dr. Elsa Zekeng
Founder and CEO, SökerData
Senior Leaders
Rachel Allison
Founder & CEO, Axe + Saw
Robbie Lyle
Founder & CEO, GFN Limited
Antonia Okonma Shittu
Founder & CEO, A-List Lace Hair
Fashion, Beauty and Consumer
Rising Stars
Sarah Harry-Isaacs
Freelance Senior Art Director, currently Estée Lauder Companies
Yasmin O’Neal
Senior Director for Global Brand and Impact, DECIEM
Karimah Reid-Bailey
Senior Product Brand Manager, L’Oréal
Senior Leaders
Oyin Akiniyi
Global Brand Director – Content, Campaigns, Partnerships, Chivas Regal (Pernod Ricard)
Samori Gambrah
Global Convenience Director, Diageo
Andrea Thompson
Journalist, Brand Consultant & Former Editor-in-Chief, Marie Claire UK
Financial Services
Rising Stars
Nana Agyemang
Proposition Delivery Manager, Barclays
Carlos Davies
EMEA Head of Secured Funding and Collateral Optimization Trading, Morgan Stanley
David King
Associate Relationship Manager, Wellington Management International
Rio Stedford
Investment Product Strategy Director, St James’s Place
Senior Leaders
Melissa Max-Macarthy
Managing Director, Head of Strategy, Retail Banking, Formerly NatWest
Henry Odogwu
Senior Managing Director – Head of EMEA Institutional Sales, MFS Investment Management
Christopher Ononye
Managing Director: Chief Auditor – Risk Management & Compliance, Hr & Corporate Responsibility, JPMorganChase
Professional Services
Rising Stars
Michael Obiri-Darko
Senior Associate, Clifford Chance LLP
Jack Van Cooten
Senior Manager – External Vendors & Data, Oliver Wyman
Quanisha Virginie
Digital Engagement & Content Executive, Kantar
Senior Leaders
Belinda Djamson
Chief AI Officer
Lola Godwin
Operations and Commercial Director, KPMG
Laurie-Anne Power KC
Barrister, 25 Bedford Row
Retail and Hospitality
Rising Stars
Ahmed Abdalla
Head Chef
Rickey Devonish
Head of Apprenticeships and Emerging Talent, JD Group
Yasu Pola-Samuels
Pr. Partnerships & Energy Marketing Manager – UK & EMEA, Dr. Martens
Senior Leaders
Tolù Adẹ̀kọ́
Founder and Creative Director, Adẹ̀kọ́ & Co Ltd.
Didier Agueh
Brand Artistic Director, PPHE
Leona De Graft
VP Global Ecommerce, Levi Strauss and Co.
STEM
Rising Stars
Promise Akwaowo
Automation and AI Practitioner, Royal Mail Group
Francis Nwofor
Cloud & AI Platform Specialist, Microsoft
Maciah Smith
Innovation and Strategic Technology Roadmapping Analyst, Johnson Matthey
Senior Leaders
Henry Amadiegwu, PhD
Chief Information Officer, Zenith Bank UK
Naomi Walkland
Chief Marketing Officer, Motorway
