Winners of the Black British Business Awards revealed

The Black British Business Awards, highlighting excellence in black leadership and entrepreneurship, have taken place in London.

The awards ceremony at the Leonardo Royal London St Paul’s hotel on Thursday took place for the first time since the Covid pandemic.

The event, sponsored by JP Morgan, celebrated the successes of black entrepreneurs in multiple categories.

Chief Operating Officer for Credit Suisse AG London Sean Alleyne won the award in the Financial Services Senior Leader category.

He said: “It was certainly a great honour going into it and being brought through as a finalist.”

Mr Alleyne has worked on improving diversity, being the executive sponsor of the UK Black Talent Program, focussed on increasing representation and advancing the careers of black talent across the organisation.

“Being a Jamaican, being here working in the city, having qualified as a chartered accountant, my culture is important to me.”

Under his leadership, the representation of black talent within the firm has steadily increased.

Mr Alleyne also works closely with the apprenticeship and graduate programmes within Credit Suisse and has implement mentorships for black employees to get access to senior leaders.

Whilst proud of the recognition, he recognises that more can still be done.

He added: “There’s a lot more to do – I think these are just some of the early steps.

“Generally, in society, we do not have enough senior black leaders.

“The reason why I’m proud of what Sophie and the Black British Business Awards have been able to achieve is that they are showcasing black talent.”

Connie Barrett won the Entrepreneur Senior Leader Award for her work in childcare, creating Ofsted outstanding breakfast, after Sshool, and holiday clubs for children ages to 12 years old.

She said: “I feel really honoured to be part of the whole event and to have gotten to the finals is a massive achievement for me.”

Her work creating flexible childcare for families has meant her impact has been felt by over 300 families across London.

She said: “As a mother – trying to find somewhere that I could trust to leave my children was a massive issue back then.

“Being able to have childcare that people can trust, where even if their child is distressed, on leaving they can turn their back and say a good job has been had, and to see the change in confidence of the children and their parents is a massive achievement.”

Drawing from her own experiences in the care system, which drives her to carry on her work, she said: “This girl from a children’s home, she’s done good!”

Ms Barrett plans to continue her work and is in the process of creating her new charity, The I Am Somebody Project, supporting young people coming out of the care system.

CEO and Artistic Director at community theatre Theatre Peckham Suzann Mclean won the award in the Arts and Media Senior Leader category.

She is recognised for building safe spaces where marginalised people can experience and participate in theatre, drawing upon her 27 years industry experience as actor and mentor.

She said: “To be in the category for the arts is incredible.

“I think its brilliant to be nominated in the business awards because being a creative and owning a charity, sometimes those things are often left out of the business world, and I guess it forces me to own that I am in business.”

She spoke of the importance of the title of the Black British Business Awards to her identity.

She said: “When I was young growing up and people would ask me where I was from, and I would say I’m from London and then they’d say, ‘where are you really from?’

“It almost felt like sometimes accepting I’m British felt like I was denying my blackness so to be nominated with the title Black British is really a great thing.”

Her work has been to encourage and provide a space where young people from the local community can be themselves.

Speaking of the impact her work has had, she said: “Young people being able to explore themselves, give them a voice, feel stronger about who they are as an individual.”

Her work has provided entry to the creative industry for young people, and she aims to continue her work until a longer lasting impact is felt.

The Black British Business Awards will return in 2023 for its tenth anniversary.