Steven Bartlett is the founder & former CEO of Social Chain – an award-winning and hugely innovative social media marketing agency. Its impressive list of clients includes Apple, Amazon, Coca-Cola, Superdry and Nokia.

From a bedroom in Manchester, this university dropout built the group’s two flagship companies – Social Chain and Media Chain – when he was just 22 years old before taking his company public at 27, with a market valuation of £200m.

Steven is a recognised entrepreneur, speaker and investor who has amassed a huge online following. His ability to relate to a younger audience is paramount to his success, and he places great importance on being able to communicate directly with his followers. He does this via mediums such as his top-charting podcast, “The Diary of a CEO”.

This is a show which aims to inspire, motivate, and educate, and is currently the biggest business podcast by downloads in the UK. In 2021 he released his first book, Happy Sexy Millionaire: Unexpected Truths about Fulfilment, Love and Success which became a Sunday Times Best Seller in its opening week. In 2022, Steven joined BBC’s Dragon’s Den for its 19th series, appearing alongside current Dragons Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman and Sara Davies.

Emmanuel Asuquo is a renowned financial advisor, media personality, wealth-building entrepreneur and international speaker. Emmanuel stepped into the world of multimillion-pound finance at the age of 22, quickly ascending to become one of the UK’s top ranked financial advisors/managers.

Following all his success, Emmanuel has been approached by the press and was featured on the BBC, the Telegraph and then brought into the homes of millions across the UK as Co-host and authority on Channel 4′s 2019 programme, ‘Save Well, Spend Better’ and Your Money And Your Life, on BBC One in June 2020.

Her debut nonfiction book, Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, was published in June 2017 to critical acclaim and spent more than 52 weeks in the Sunday Times bestseller list. In 2020, she made history by becoming the first Black British author to have written the number one selling book in the British book charts.

A Sunday Times, New York Times and Der Spiegel bestseller, Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race won the 2018 Jhalak Prize, the 2018 Bread and Roses Award for Radical Publishing, and a 2018 British Book Award for Narrative Non Fiction. A 2018 public poll by Academic Book Week named it the most influential book written by a woman. Her podcast, ‘About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge’, premiered in March 2018. It was chosen as one of the best podcasts of the year by Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Harper’s Bazaar UK, The Guardian, British GQ, and Wired UK.

Business Consultant. Clients have raised £1m+, appeared on Dragons Den and successfully exited their businesses. Proficient in working with small business owners that need more clarity or accountability especially whilst preparing for investment. 15 years of experience designing and delivering entrepreneurship programmes across the UK & Internationally. Keynote speaker.

Recognised as Britain’s leading authority on diversity, equity and inclusion, Lydia Amoah is an award-winning business coach, TV presenter, campaigner and founder of cultural change agency, Backlight. She is a DEI pioneer, a history-maker, and a game-changer.

Recently appointed Head of Black at Cannes UK, her role focuses on developing Partnership opportunities across the UK with Agencies, Brands, and Media Owners to support the inclusion of Black Creatives through representation at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

Ama founded Plantmade after being fired from her job just before covid and was able to build her business to £6.2M in under 3 years. Ama is a risk taker, creative and goes against the grain in business to win.

Lamar Tyler, along with his wife Ronnie, are the founders of Tyler New Media – one of the fastest-growing private companies in America recognized by Inc. magazine on its annual Inc. 5000 list (2021 & 2022).

The parent company of the celebrated Traffic Sales and Profit (TSP), America’s premier learning community of over 42K purpose-driven African American businesses and entrepreneurs, Lamar + Ronnie created their platform to not only help guide Black businesses and families to discover their true purpose and legacy, but to also change the economic landscape of the Black community by closing the wealth gap through entrepreneurship.

TSP focuses on innovative online technology and provides fundamental learning, surefire systems, and growth strategies that help businesses generate profit with ease in the shortest amount of time, regardless of start-up budget or audience size. TSP teaches in different niches and markets and offers coaching and consulting services to people all over the world who are owners of successful brick-and-mortar stores, popular e-commerce brands and well-known service and product-based businesses.

Ngozi Cadmus, Co-founder and CEO of Happiworkers is a mental health and leadership expert and a leading voice championing the mental health needs of the black and minority ethnic community. Ngozi is a Non-Executive Director and CEO of a multi-six-figure company: a Psychotherapist, Social Worker, and TEDx Speaker.

Scottish Supermodel MBE, V&A Design Champion Eunice Olumide’s career spans continents. Appearing in international campaigns and fashion weeks including ELLE, Glamour Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and Dazed & Confused. Walking for designer’s including Pinko, Vivienne Westwood, Mulberry, Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, and Harris Tweed. With regular appearances on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 1 and her ARIAS nominated award winning show ‘The Sista Collective’, she is a talented broadcasted, producer and on-screen talent. Most famously appearing in Star Wars, Ab Fab and Nought and Crosses. The epitome of a multihyphenate, her main focus has been in the charity sector founding the ADBSF with a focus on charity, social justice and diversity, creating the first union representation for models with Equity. A talented filmmaker with her short broadcast at COP 26 and award-winning books ‘How to Get into Fashion’ and ‘The universal Declaration on Culture’ for UNESCO.

Patrick, the Creative Director at the renowned clothing brand DCN and Editor-in-Chief of the influential publication DressCodeNation, is a dynamic force in the world of fashion. With a flair for innovation and a keen eye for style, he spearheads the creation of cutting-edge fashion trends, establishing himself as a true trendsetter.

As a multifaceted leader, Patrick bridges the gap between fashion and niche audiences, effortlessly connecting with those who appreciate unique and authentic style. His expertise extends beyond fashion, as he excels in forging strategic connections between brands and talent, orchestrating impactful campaigns, and developing innovative marketing strategies. Patrick’s visionary approach seamlessly links brands with cultural tastemakers, creating a dynamic synergy that sets trends and drives fashion-forward conversations.

Mabintou Kolley is a senior designer and the founder of Hummmble, a creative studio based in London offering thoughtful and well designed solutions within the luxury consumer space. Mabintou previously co-founded Forbes and Net-A-Porter featured agency Clamp Digital, with personal clients such as Adidas and Google during her career as a Product Designer. Due to her commitment and contributions to tech she has been featured on the Makers Women in Software Power List and has been a judge at the D&AD New Blood Awards; a guest speaker at several universities, such as the prestigious Cambridge University, and a guest on several panels in front of brands such as Nike and Pepsico.

Austin Okolo – Award winning business owner, founder of British GQ featured fashion brand Born To Stand Out London and CEO and founder of elite business top 100 SME 2023 business Gen Z Club one of the largest Gen Z communities in the UK which provides quarterly events and conferences and helps the world’s leading corporations engage with Gen Z.

Nathaniel, the visionary co-founder behind Wakuda, known for his role in propelling Black-owned brands through ecommerce. With a history of multi-award-winning success and over a decade experience in e-commerce, Nathaniel’s entrepreneurial prowess has made a lasting impact. Beyond entrepreneurship, Nathaniel passionately advocates for the growth and empowerment of Black-owned businesses, championing their voices and breaking down barriers.

Rajeena is a Franchisee Recruitment and Reputation Consultant for McDonald’s UK & Ireland with over 15 years’ of experience in the industry. Passionate about promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, she has championed a number of initiatives to improve accessibility. She is an enthusiastic advocate of McDonald’s Women’s Network to help female colleagues overcome the barriers which exist preventing them from achieving their full potential.

Junior Makame, 18, embarked on his entrepreneurial journey at 14 with a modest record label, eventually leading to over 3 million streams for various artists. Building on this, he developed RAPVILLE, an online platform that successfully gained global radio exposure for over 2.5k musicians, increasing his online following to 30k and resulting in interviews with media outlets like the BBC. Currently, Junior is focusing on SocialPro, an exciting AI venture aimed at simplifying viral success on TikTok, enabling users to organically reach target audiences without the need for agencies or ads. This shift to SocialPro underlines Junior’s adaptability and commitment to addressing current digital challenges. His achievements have led to an invitation as one of the youngest speakers ever at the UK Black Business Show.

Michael Adeniya is a commercially focused, award-winning B2B events strategist. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer of UK Black Business Week, the largest event in the UK and Europe for Black entrepreneurs, career professionals and allies to the Black community. Your classic ‘intrepreneur’, in 2018 Michael launched ‘Phacilitate Exchange’ a content marketing agency supporting some of the biggest brands in healthcare. He’s an ex-professional sportsperson who has represented Nigeria internationally in rugby. Mike is a husband and father of 2 boys which he raises in South Wales. He’s an ex-professional sportsperson who has represented Nigeria internationally in rugby. Prior to working in events, he played for Northampton Saints, Bedford Blues and Luton most notably, as well as playing for invitational 7s teams on all major continents. Mike is a husband and father of 2 boys which he raises in South Wales.

Melvin is an economics and politics student, aspiring political leader, an award-winning social-tech entrepreneur, speaker, social/political activist and advocate for: tech for good, entrepreneurship, youth engagement, political participation and racial equity. For the past 8yrs, he has tackled socio-economic challenges by campaigning, implementing, and influencing policy As a social tech entrepreneur, He is the co-founder of “NOT so MICRO,” a organisation reforming education to be more racially inclusive through policy, training and accountability measures using AI tools , and founder of start-up , Atls•Blk the first of its kind social media app for black heritage students in the UK, leveraging innovative tech such as AI, ML and 5G elevating the black students experience and wider black community on an economic, social and financial level. He has developed his expertise by working with numerous organisations such as West Midlands Police, EUK, UK Youth, B22, IMF and others.

Martina Gordeen is the founder of SixtySix – an agency dedicated to helping talent and businesses build authentic relationships with their consumers.

Having started out as a blogger in 2015, she has since developed social media strategies for campaigns with clients such as Tinie Tempah, Wunmi Bello, Melanie Eusebe MBE and companies including VAMP UK, and Wray and Nephew UK.

Martina is passionate about supporting the development of upcoming creatives and has curated multiple sold-out events across London and Birmingham.

She has also been named one of Pitch Magazine’s ‘Super People of 2023’ and was nominated for ‘Hustler of the Year’ by Sound and Style Hi.

Wycliffe Sande is the Founder of Blue Turaco Coffee; the first Black African-owned Coffee Brand to be listed in leading UK Supermarkets. Wycliffe believes in using the power of coffee to create positive change in coffee growing communities, while making specialty Robusta more accessible to millions of coffee lovers in the UK.

In 2006, Wycliffe moved to the UK to go to University in London, the first in his village to do so, after attending classes under a mango tree as a young boy. With more than10 years’ experience in hospitality as a restaurant manager for Nando’s UK in London, Wycliffe has returned to his coffee roots and now has a small coffee farm in Uganda. Here, he works with other farmers to make amazing specialty Robusta coffee using processing methods never used before to help bring out even more amazing flavour.

Stefan Johnson is a Senior Business Development Director for HSBC’s Mid-Market Enterprise, where he specialises in supporting businesses with lending for importing & exporting goods or services. Stefan’s banking career spans over a decade and includes several years of Business Relationship Management experience looking after clients in the tech & entertainment industry, plus sports personalities and high-profile fashion brands.

Outside of banking, Stefan runs a video production company that creates content to help small brands reach their growth plans and often speaks with entrepreneurs via the Prince’s Trust & Enterprise Nation to help unlock their full potential. His biggest challenge? Being the proud co-founder of 3 young children!

Chris joined the European Economics team in May 2017, and covers pan-European and UK issues. Before joining HSBC, Chris spent two years working as a UK and global economist at an international investment bank. Prior to that, Chris worked for five years in the UK forecasting division at the Bank of England, where he helped to produce the MPC’s economic forecasts, while providing briefings on the economic outlook. He earned a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Warwick.

Nicholas Amfo-Gyamera, also recognised as Nicholas Dex, is a dynamic fashion designer and visionary entrepreneur, best known as the driving force behind ODF Clothing (One Diverse Fashion) and Nicholas Kingsley. Raised in the vibrant streets of South London, Nicholas embarked on a remarkable journey to bridge the gap he observed in the representation of his community in the world of fashion and lifestyle brands.

Inspired by the rich traditions of preppy equestrian and Wimbledon tennis culture, as well as the ever-evolving London street fashion scene, Nicholas crafted ODF Clothing as a tribute to these influences. However, his vision transcends mere fashion; it’s about empowerment and representation.

ODF Clothing stands out not only for its celebration of diversity but also for its unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability and ethical production. It’s a brand that embodies the ethos of “Standing In to Stand Out.”

Nicholas has garnered recognition far and wide, earning features in prestigious publications such as GQ, Forbes, and Vogue. His journey is a testament to the power of creativity, entrepreneurship, and a dedication to making a difference in the world of fashion.

Flavilla Fongang is a multi-award-winning serial entrepreneur and an international keynote speaker. Computer Weekly named her the number 1 most influential tech woman in the UK. Mercedes Benz awarded Flavilla the “She’s Mercedes” businesswoman award among women such as Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook. She is the author of “99 Strategies to get customers”. She is also the founder of Global Tech Advocates – Black Women in Tech, the largest organisation of black professional women in tech. She is an Entrepreneurship Expert with the Entrepreneurship Centre for Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

Rob Pierre is the co-founder and chairman of Jellyfish, a global business that partners with brands to achieve and optimise marketing performance in a platform world. Today, Jellyfish works with brands including Google, Netflix, Uber and Sanofi.

Launched in 2005, Jellyfish is proud to be at the forefront of the global digital economy. The business helps brands to navigate, connect, and harness the platforms that drive growth and engagement. Employing over 2100 people across 38 offices globally, Jellyfish combines agency services, consultancy, training and technology to help shape the digital future of its clients.

Rob was awarded Media Leader of the Year at Campaign’s Media Week Awards in 2021 and featured in the Powerlist 2022 and 2023, a listing of the UK’s 100 most powerful black Britons. A business innovator, Rob has introduced a unique organisational infrastructure at Jellyfish that is disrupting norms both within and outside the media world.

Rahmon is an award-winning entrepreneur listed by Forbes 30 Under 30, Media Week 30 Under 30 and winner of the KPMG Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
He is co-founder of Loud Parade, the premier music creative and sonic branding agency with over 8 billion views on TikTok.
Loud Parade makes bespoke music compositions for brands and creative agencies across all platforms and has worked with Fenty, Nike JBL, JD Sports, Sour Patch Kids, Little Moons, WPP and Havas, amongst others.
Working at the intersection of Psychology and Music, Loud Parade creates sonic identities which match a brand’s aspirational personality bringing objectivity to the usually subjective world of music in advertising by leveraging an AI tool which can test the emotional resonance of sounds.

Josephine Philips founded SOJO immediately after graduating from university in June 2020, with the mission of helping to make the fashion industry more circular by revolutionising the clothing repair and tailoring sector. A lover of vintage fashion, Josephine continually found herself falling for second hand pieces that were not in her size. With no convenient way to get the pieces tailored, she got to work to create a solution, launching the UK’s first app dedicated to alterations and repairs in January 2021.

Dimeji Sadiq is the Owner & Founder of Vegan Shack. A rapidly growing fast food joint with locations in Manchester and London. From selling on-demand orders out of his one-bedroom apartment in Manchester, Vegan Shack has managed to grow to four locations today.

Kojo Marfo is creative arts and socio-economic growth strategist with a speciality in connecting emerging creatives and black led businesses with new opportunities and commercial visibility through strategic brand partnerships and policy.
With over a decade of experience in curating multiple global campaigns and creative employment projects in the arts that impacts under-represented communities his work has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Bloomberg, Evening Standard and the BBC.
He opened the very first black concept store in West End (Carnaby) and later; Covent Garden and Somerset House to sell over 200 black businesses to diverse customers including the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
He is a founding committee member of London Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s Black Business Association and board trustee member of the Culture & and Roundhouse Trust as well as the newly appointed Vice-Chair for Black Cultural Advisory group set up by the Greater London Authority.

Craig Pinkney is a Criminologist, Urban Youth Specialist, and CEO of SOLVE: The Centre for Youth Violence and Conflict. Holding a BA (Hons) in Youth & Community Development, a Masters in Criminology, and pursuing a PhD at Birmingham City University, Craig, with 20 years of experience, is an internationally renowned academic and practitioner. He excels at engaging with challenging young people, high-risk offenders, and victims of gang violence. Recognised for expertise in Urban Street Gangs, Youth Violence, and Anti-Racist Practice, Craig advises organisations from the National Youth Agency to Jamaica’s Ministry of Justice. In 2021, he founded ‘Solve Housing’, establishing Ofsted Registered Children’s Homes in the West Midlands.

Samina Hussain-Letch is Head of Industry Relations and Payment Partnerships UK at Square. In this role, she is responsible for the commercial operations and managing key industry relationships. Samina is a Director of the Square UK Ltd board with oversight and coverage of the UK business. Previously heading up the AU market, before Samina joined Square, she spent eight years at Visa Inc. where she served as Head of Loyalty Solutions and various other product leadership roles. Samina is also passionate about Inclusion and Diversity initiatives and founded the Women in Leadership Too program, while at Visa.

Lee Chambers is a respected psychologist and founder of Essentialise and Male Allies UK. After starting his career in corporate finance, he founded PhenomGames from side hustle to exit in 2020. Before launching Essentialise to generate inclusivity in the wellbeing sector after he suffered illness and had to learn to walk again.
In 2023 he became the first Black British scientist to receive the Kavli Fellowship from the National Academy of Sciences, and was inducted into the Black Cultural Archives Future Leaders for services to Business and Health in 2022. Essentialise has been recognised on this year’s Startups 100 Index, and Chambers won a Great British Entrepreneur Award in 2021. He is a regular in the media, a keynote speaker on topics ranging from Black business to allyship, and is the upcoming author of Momentum. He holds numerous board positions, most recently joining the Chartered Management Institute.

Opeyemi Sofoluke is a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leader. In her most recent role as Lead International Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager at Meta, she has been responsible for the management and oversight for the Meta Resource Groups across International: Asia Pacific (APAC); Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA); and Latin America (LATAM), to guide their impact on programs that build a more inclusive workplace. Prior to her role at Meta, she was the EMEA Lead for Global Technology, Diversity and Inclusion at J.P. Morgan, where she served as a Vice President and was responsible for setting the business strategy and designing the D&I agenda across an organisation of 5.5K technologists. Opeyemi is also the Co-Author of Twice As Hard book alongside her husband, Raphael Sofoluke. Twice As Hard explores Black identity in the workplace and business, and provides readers with practical advice to develop personally and professionally.

Lorraine Wright-Boateng MBE, a British born Ghanaian, is a multifaceted businesswoman, tech professional, community advocate, speaker, moderator, and content creator. Recently named as a Top 25 Black Entrepreneur to watch by HSBC and the UK Black Business Show, Lorraine is a seasoned professional committed to making a difference through her ventures in both the UK and Ghana. A distinguished University of Oxford Exec MBA Graduate, Lorraine thrives in bridging the gap between the Ghanaian Diaspora and Ghana, particularly within the realm of business and investment opportunities.

Lorraine has earned her reputation as the Chief Side Hustler, leveraging her platforms to educate others on successfully managing side hustles alongside full-time jobs as well as providing insights on investment opportunities in the fast growing Ghanaian economy based on her personal experiences.

The University of East London’s (UEL) BA Hons Undergraduate Fashion Marketing course is led by Course leader, Jason Forrest. Jason has over 20 years of experience in visual merchandising within the fashion industry. Particularly with high-end and upscale brands like Bally, Burberry, and Harvey Nichols. He also works as a freelance brand consultant for both well-known and up-and-coming companies in the fashion industry. His area of study is the characteristics and abilities that help graduates find employment in the ever-evolving fashion industry. defining how innovation and diversity influence the subject matter of curricula for the future of fashion marketing.

With 25+ years combined business experience, Dr. Byron Cole & Bianca Miller-Cole founded Self Made – The Home of Entrepreneurship. They have developed a mentoring community supporting over 500 founders to achieve 6-7 figure success in their businesses. Further to this, Self Made provides networking opportunities, published author & professional speaker courses as well as a private digital members club, where individuals can learn from industry experts whilst building their personal network. Dr. Byron Cole is a Business Consultant who helps Start-Ups achieve 7 figures, Sunday Times Bestselling Author, Multi Award-Winning Serial Entrepreneur, Investor in People, Property & Business and founder of The BLC Group. Bianca Miller-Cole is a Personal Brand Expert, Speaker, Sunday Times Bestselling Author, Serial Entrepreneur, Business Coach & Mentor. Self Made thrives on empowering individuals and propelling them towards success by providing a rich array of resources to achieve their entrepreneurial goals.

After 10+ years building products and systems that save time, profit and help businesses do more with less, Yommy saw inefficiencies in property businesses and the opportunity to use AI, Automation and cost effective tools to help business owners who struggle to make a profit, do more with less and give customers a long lasting impression

Since joining EY as an Apprentice in 2019, Yeshua Carter has become a powerful force in bringing about positive change among young people – especially those limited by the inequalities of living in marginalised communities. His vision to help most-at risk young people out of challenging situations was born. Yeshua created and co-founded EY Outreach, which started as a collaboration with West Midlands Police (WMP) to divert vulnerable young people in pupil referral units from criminality, through a creative intervention and prevention programme. EY Outreach has since become a fully-fledged EY CSR programme, working with national and local authorities such as Government of Jersey, Birmingham City Council and HMP Brinsford to develop and support at-risk youngsters. Through EY Outreach, Yeshua and his colleagues are delivering positive results that help provide intervention and prevention, diversity and inclusion, youth mentoring, and social mobility and mental health.

Garvey’s mission is simple. To help professionals identify, design and create a fulfilling career that pays. Every Wednesday his free career newsletter – The Lonely Pivot – provides at least 1 actionable idea to help readers on their career journey. You can find out more at thelonelypivot.com His consultancy – GIBUS Consulting – works with corporates which included law firms, PE firms and media outlets, to help them create environments for their employees to thrive. This is done through workshop facilitation, programme design and public speaking. Learn more at gibusconsulting.com