Bashiru joined Publicis Sapient in 2022 on our Graduate programme following his studies in Software Engineering at the University of Leicester. Bashiru joined the programme as a Junior Associate Software Engineer where he has been working in the finance industry and leading brands including Lloyds. This is what Bashiru has to say about his experience so far: “My journey at Publicis Sapient has been nothing short of transformative. From the guidance provided by my supportive team to the diverse projects I’ve been involved in, I’ve grown both as a professional and an individual. The welcoming environment and great opportunities for skill development have all helped me become a better professional.

Jordan joined Publicis Sapient in 2021 on our Graduate programme following her studies in Computer Science and Computer programming at Coventry University. Jordan has progressed through the programme to an Associate Software Engineer where she has worked across the Financial Service industry with some of our leading brands. This is what Jordan has to say about her experience so far:

“ Working at Publicis Sapient has been such an amazing opportunity, from networking with clients on innovative projects to building a community of colleagues to grow alongside and share my career journey with. A highlight during my time at PS has been representing the company at the Black Tech Awards, where I got to network and experience the amazing talent emerging from black engineers across the tech industry.

Keisha Garcia is the VP of Digital Foundations, Technical Programme Management (TPM) Head of Discipline at bp, leading the delivery of modern, secure, and compliant digital operations in service of net zero ambitions, to deliver sustainable solutions at pace for customers, driving adjacencies in new digital business and deploying integrated capability in service of bp’s reinvent ambitions.

In addition to Keisha’s role as VP, she is also Head of Discipline, responsible for shaping the direction of the TPM discipline, managing the quality of outcomes, and taking a long-term view of the development of bp’s TPM practitioners.

Joining bp 15 years ago, Keisha has developed in-depth knowledge and expertise across program/project management, business process re-engineering, product and service design, strategic communications, systems, and technology.

Pamela Aculey is an award-winning author, entrepreneur, and CEO, and co-founder of MIXD Reality. MIXD Reality is the UK’s first dedicated provider of interactive and inclusive augmented reality technology (AR) learning experiences. Bringing the world of Ed-Tech to life, their mission is to make education extraordinary, inclusive, and interactive.

“It all started with a book, an idea, and a desire for real change”.
In 2017 after receiving her son Walter’s autism diagnosis, Pamela struggled to find inclusive books that supported his needs.
“Create the things you wish existed” – Pamela created her own picture book series ‘Just Like Me’, that uses Augmented Reality technology to inspire and support all children – especially those with learning disabilities.

MIXD Reality are a multicultural and neurodiverse team of passionate designers, creators and developers, specializing in interactive wizardry that help you communicate your products or ideas in new, engaging and inclusive ways.
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James has 13 years experience in the automotive and motorsports industry of which 7 years were spent within Formula 1. He is a Systems Engineer who was previously working for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team. He was previously responsible for maintaining all on and off car electronics and systems on a wide range of heritage cars driven by the likes of Sir Lewis Hamilton MBE. He has founded Driven By Us which has gained club recognition status by Motorsport UK. The organisation supports allies, ethnic minorities and women in all areas of STEM from grassroots to elite F1, providing safe spaces and networking within the industry. In July 2023, before the British GP, James was awarded the prestigious Points Of Light Award by the UK Prime Minister for creating Driven By Us CIC.

Asha Earle has over 7 years of experience in vehicle performance development, global project management, and supplier coordination. Asha has been a driving force in leading powertrain and thermodynamic validation projects in the automotive / commercial industry. Spearheading strategic programs and validation development for electronic braking and pneumatic systems in new power unit designs, she has fostered cross-functional synergy through a new global agile forum.
Asha’s leadership extends beyond technical realms; she is also an active advocate for the motorsport community. As the Head of Partnerships for Driven For Us, she has helped pioneer the establishment of the motorsport club, driving diversity and collaboration within the automotive and motorsport sectors. Driven By Us’ collaborations with renowned organizations across the United Kingdom and the United States has amplified cross-industry collaboration and innovation, with aims to leave a lasting impact on the motorsport community. Additionally, Asha’s engagement in various mentorship roles, such as sitting on the Daimler STEM Board as the National Robotics Chair, STEM Events chair for the Driven By Us club, coaching FIRST Robotics League teams, and mentoring for the National Society of Black Engineers. This has yielded impressive outcomes, including regional championship wins and high job placement rates for early-career engineers.

Uchechi is a graduate in our People & Culture team. She understands what it takes to move through your career in bp and will be speaking to Black Business Week participants about the career opportunities we have in bp

Jahee is a Masters qualified engineer currently living in London, UK and working as Director of his company, Wavey Dynamics; a high performance automotive and motorsport engineering consultancy specialising in vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics and engineering design. With clients including McLaren Automotive, Jahee has ambitious goals to work and innovate at the cutting edge of technology to redefine the landscape of high performance engineering. On a mission to reimagine motorsport as a more inclusive, diverse and socially relevant sport, Jahee is also Vice-Chair at Driven by Us and is Technical Director of Motors Formula Team, who are on a path to race at the prestigious Le Mans 24h as the first majority Black managed, engineered and driven motorsport team.

Demdrones is at the forefront of a revolution in the drone industry, breaking down barriers to make it accessible to all. Our vision is to foster an inclusive community where everyone can actively engage.

Much like your versatile mobile phone, technology knows no bounds, capable of realizing your wildest imaginings.

In its essence, a drone is a flying computer with limitless potential. Together, let’s seize these infinite opportunities and set our creativity free. I eagerly await the chance to connect with you.

Priscilla Ephraim is an experienced Construction Project Manager in National Grid. Having had my first degree in Nigeria, She migrated to England in pursuit of a Masters Degree in Engineering Project Management and a PhD in Construction Management. Over her Career, She has worked in the private and public sector in companies such as Barclays Bank, Severn Trent Water and National Grid. She is passionate about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and currently volunteers as a STEM ambassador. She is an award winning leader in DEI and currently sits as the Vice-Chair of the ONE Employee Resource Group at National Grid which aims at empowering people from ethnic minorities to reach their full potential.

Antoine has just started his Formula 1 career as an electronics CAD design engineer, having recently received a degree in Motorsports Engineering at Oxford Brookes University. Originally from the island of Bermuda, Antoine’s background includes racing motorcycles professionally, race team and club management, and motorcycle-related entrepreneurial ventures. He strongly believes that black representation in motorsports is the key to converting black fans into industry insiders.

Carol Glenn, the first UK Marshall of colour with 34 years of experience within the industry. She became a Race Official in 1988. She was the first female official of colour in the UK and has worked as a marshal, Championship coordinator and Secretary of the Meeting at a national and international level across Circuit, Sprint and Rallycross events. Founder of Next Racing Generation Motorsport, the organisation aims to offer drivers of any diverse background a career pathway into Motorsport.

In 2021, Carol was awarded the British Women Racing Drivers Club’s GoldStar Award for voluntary services in motorsport. In addition, Carol is a member of Motorsport UK’s Women in Motorsport Sub-committee.

Promise is a graduate in bps Innovation and Engineering team. He understands what it is like to be an early career professional in a Tech role, and is looking forward to sharing his experiences during UK Black Business Week.

André Spence is a social entrepreneur, author, and mentor, who has been in the entertainment industry for over 10 years. Finding youth fame on a reality show on MTV, he presented and blogged for MOBO and organised events, bringing together global brands, and world-class talent in support of charity

Finding the power of mentorship on his journey, in 2017 he founded Global Purpose Enterprise, which exists to level up young black people and help them walk in purpose through events and mentorship. His organisation has worked with top tier firms from EY to the highly sought-after private members’ club, Soho House.

Now Andre and his team are on a mission to impact the lives of 1 million young Black and underserved people in the next 5 years through their upcoming app PRGRSS which connects mentees to mentors through 12-minute video calls to help them navigate their careers.

Olu Sowunmi is a Talent Acquisition Leader with several years of recruiting experience across Consulting, Technology, Government Security and Financial Services. He is currently the Global Recruiting Relationship Lead for Securities Services Tech & CIB Technology Risk Controls. He is highly focused on relationship building and strategic thinking, collaborating with leaders globally across the tech organisation by leveraging cross-functional relationships in leadership, finance, business management and HR Advisory.
Olu has a deep understanding of working within Recruiting, significant knowledge of delivery at scale and client engagement, including daily exposure to executives in a corporate, management consulting or executive search environment. Olu feels very passionately about supporting the ambitions of those coming after him and is the founder of a social enterprise for young people called 3PN – www.3pngroup.com . He recognises the challenges faced by young people in diverse communities and aspires to inform, influence, guide and support young people in their social and career development.