John Lewis Partnership chair Dame Sharon White has been named Britain’s most influential Black person in The Powerlist 2023.
The annual chart of the UK’s influential people of African, African Caribbean and African American heritage was created in 2007 to honour role models.
Dame Sharon said: “My hope is we can take the serendipity out of social mobility – everyone should have the chance to be who they want to be in life.”
Powerlistees celebrated in an event at the Savoy hotel in London.
1. Dame Sharon White
Chair, John Lewis Partnership
Dame Sharon was born in East London to Jamaican parents and attended Cambridge University to study economics before embarking on a dazzling career in the civil service.
While working at the Ministry of Justice with secretary of state Kenneth Clarke, he said: “She is one of the most intelligent people and best civil servants I have ever worked with, a real high-flyer.”
In 2013, she was appointed Second Permanent Secretary at the Treasury, making her one of the most powerful women in Westminster. She was the first Black person and the second-ever woman to hold the role.
Before joining John Lewis, she was previously chief executive at Ofcom, where from 2015 she managed the UK communications regulator through a period of similarly intense change.
In 2020, she became chair of John Lewis, guiding the firm through the pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis.
With her innovative strategies, the firm has seen pre-tax profits grow by more than a third year on year. Now 55, she was awarded a Damehood in the 2020 New Year’s Honours, for public service.
2. Dean Forbes
CEO, Forterro
Dean, 44, has spent his career turning ailing tech firms into success stories.
He is currently at the helm of software company Forterro, which he joined in March, and has also been recognised for his philanthropic work via his foundation, Forbes Family Group (FFG).
This invests and supports young people from underrepresented backgrounds to thrive in the business world, especially ramping up efforts during the pandemic. Dean said: “I don’t feel what I do is extraordinary, to me it’s normal.”
2. Anne Mensah
Vice-President of Content UK, Netflix
Anne, from South London, who has climbed to be Vice President of Content UK at Netflix.
The former BBC executive has a knack of choosing on-screen winners having overseen work on some of the biggest shows in history, including Sex Education and The Crown, as well as One Day, based on David Nicholls’ bestselling novel.
Prior to running the streaming giant she was Head of Independent Drama at the BBC and Director of Drama at Sky UK, where she commissioned dramas such as Patrick Melrose, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and Chernobyl
4. Tunde Olanrewaju
Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
Tunde is the managing partner for management consultant McKinsey’s UK, Ireland and Israel offices.
He leads in fintech work and helped create McKinsey Digital.
Tunde, a trustee for Oxfam, holds a a masters in electrical and electronic engineering from Imperial College, London. He is also is a leader of the McKinsey Black Network — a global community to help colleagues grow.
5. Steven Bartlett
Entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den Dragon
University dropout Steven, 30, cashed in on the influencer boom by founding social media marketing company Social Chain in 2014.
The Botswana-born, Plymouth-bred entrepreneur went on to become the youngest Dragon’s Den investor, holding his own alongside heavy-weights Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones. He also has a successful podcast, Diary of a CEO.
6. David Olusoga
Historian, Joint Creative Director of Uplands Television Ltd
Historian David Olusoga was born in Nigeria but moved to Gateshead, Tyne and Wear when he was just five. He grew up as one of the few non-white people on a council estate, and by 14 the National Front had attacked his house repeatedly, meaning his family had to have police protection.
David, who is Professor of Public History at Manchester University, has gone on to become an award-winning winning documentary maker and writer covering topics of military history, empire, race, and slavery.
His BBC programme Britain’s ‘Forgotten Slave Owners’ won him a BAFTA, and he was awarded a President’s Medal from the British Academy, as well as interviewing former President of the United States, Barack Obama.
7. Lord Simon Woolley
Co-Founder/Director, Operation Black Vote & Principal, Homerton College, Cambridge University
The 60-year-old went from a Leicester council estate to the House of Lords. Baron Woolley of Woodford is also pals with King Charles.
Last year he became the first Black man to be master of a Cambridge college, saying: “It’s a great day. It’s historic. I’m on cloud nine.”
8. Paulette Simpson CBE
Executive, Corporate Affairs and Public Policy, Jamaica National Bank; Executive Director, The Voice.
Paulette was born in Britain but raised between Jamaica and Manchester by her grandmother before studying business at the University of Sterling.
She was awarded a CBE in 2020 – and she is deputy chair of both the Windrush Advisory Panel and the Windrush Commemoration Committee.
9. Richard Iferenta
Partner, Vice Chair, KPMG
One of the UK’s foremost financial experts at the global professional services network. This year he joined the board of business campaign group London First.
Richard is also a strong champion for mentoring and coaching young black people; he is chair of the Race Diversity Board for Business in the Community and partner sponsor for the Afro-Caribbean Network.
10. Dr Sandie Okoro
Group General Counsel, Standard Chartered Bank
The lawyer passed the bar in 1988 after stint at University of Birmingham. Retrained as a solicitor which lead to roles such as senior VP of World Bank Group and her current job.
Sandie is a governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company and was a council member of the human rights organisation JUSTICE.
11-100
The list below is not ranked:
Arts, Fashion and Design
Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE - Founder, Chineke! Foundation
Duro Olowu - Fashion Designer
Professor Dr Shirley Thompson OBE - Composer, Conductor & Reader in Music, University of Westminster
Dame Pat McGrath DBE - Make-up artist/Founder, Pat McGrath Labs
Lynette Yiadom - BoakyeArtist
Sir Frank Bowling - Artist
Grace Wales-Bonner - Fashion Designer
Precious Adams (New) - Soloist, English National Ballet
Sonia Boyce (New) - Artist, Professor of Black Art & Design, University of the Arts, London
Lubaina Himid CBE (New) - Professor of Contemporary Art, University of Central Lancashire
Misan Harriman (New) - Chair of The Southbank Centre, London; Photographer
Brenda Emmanus, OBE (New) - Broadcaster and Journalist
Business, Corporate, Financiers & Entrepreneurs
Camille Drummond - Senior Vice President, Global Business Services, BP
Eric Collins - CEO and Founder, Impact X Capital, Host of The Money Maker, Author, We Don’t Need Permission
Pamela Hutchinson OBE - Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Bloomberg
Netsai Mangwende - Chief Financial Officer, GroupM UK
Tevin Tobun - CEO, GV Group (Gate Ventures)
Paulette Rowe - CEO, Integrated and eCommerce Solutions, Paysafe
Roni Savage - CEO and Founder, Jomas Associates
Femi Bamisaiye - CIO, UK General Insurance, Aviva
Yemi Edun - Founder and CEO, Daniel Ford & Co & Daniel Ford International
Donya Rose - Managing Director, Capital Release Unit, Deutsche Bank
John McCalla-Leacy - Partner and Head of ESG at KPMG UK
Emeka Emembolu - Chief of Staff, BP
Nathalie Villette - UK Country Head & Group Head Global Corporates, Ecobank
Ayana McIntosh-Lee (New) - Senior Vice President, Global Head of External Affairs, BP
Teddy Nyahasha (New) - CEO, OneFamily
Syreeta Brown (New) - Virgin Money
Ola Fadipe (New) - Director, EMEA, Head of Recruiting
Merary Soto-Saunders (New) - Head of HR, CVC Credit Partners
Afua Kyei (New) - Chief Financial Officer, Bank of England
Tangy Morgan (New) - Senior Advisor, Bank of England
Media, Publishing, Entertainment & Sports
Akala - Educator, Rapper, Poet, Activist
Edward Enninful OBE - Editor-in-Chief, British Vogue and European Editorial Director of Vogue
Amma Asante, MBE - Writer, Director
Charlene White - ITN News Anchor and Loose Women Presenter
Lorna Clarke - BBC Controller of Pop Music
Marcus Ryder MBE - Head of External Consultancies, Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity
Reggie Yates - Writer, Director, Broadcaster
Sir Lenny Henry - Actor, Writer, Campaigner
Vanessa Kingori MBE - Chief Business Officer, Condé Nast Britain; Vogue European Business Advisor
Bernardine Evaristo - Writer, Professor of Creative Writing, Brunel
Idris Elba OBE - Actor, Producer, co-founder of S’able Labs
Afua Hirsch - Journalist, Author, Broadcaster
Stormzy - Grime Artist and Philanthropist
Alex Scott MBE - Former England Footballer, TV Presenter
Michaela Coel - Writer and Actor
Daniel Kaluuya - Actor
Emma Paterson (New) - Literary Agent
Austin Daboh (New) - Executive Vice President UK, Atlantic Records
Riki Bleau (New) - Founder & Co-President, Since ’93
Raheem Sterling - Footballer
Maro Itoje - Rugby Player, Activist
Marcus Rashford - Footballer and Campaigner
Politics, Law and Religion
David Lammy MP - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, MP for Tottenham
Joshua Siaw MBE - Partner, White & Case
Tom Shropshire - General Counsel & Company Secretary, Diaego
The Rt. Revd. Rose Hudson-Wilkin CD MBE - The Bishop of Dover in the Diocese of Canterbury
Segun Osuntokun - Managing Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
Harry Matovu QC - Barrister
Marcia Willis Stewart QC (Hon) - Partner, Birnberg Peirce & Partners
I. Stephanie Boyce LLM, DipICArb, FCG, Honorary Professor of Law - The Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London
Professor Patrick Vernon OBE - Political Activist and Social Commentator
Sandra Wallace CBE - Partner & Joint Managing Director, UK and Europe, DLA Piper
Jacqueline McKenzie - Specialist Windrush Solicitor; Partner, Leigh Day
Public, Third Sector and Education
Marvin Rees - Mayor of Bristol
Sonita Alleyne OBE - Master, Jesus College, Cambridge
Professor Patricia Daley - Human Geographer and Academic
Dr Patrick Roach - General Secretary, NASUWT
Miatta Fahnbulleh - Chief Executive, New Economics Foundation
Munroe BergdorfModel and Activist
Professor Patricia Kingori (New) - Professor and Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator at University of Oxford
Eva Omaghomi (New) - Global Strategic and Communications Advisor, Speaker
Science, Medicine and Engineering
Dr Emeka Okaro - Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Dr Ian Nnatu - Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Joy Odili - Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Dr Sylvia Bartley - Health Equity Thought Leader & Consultant
Samantha Tross - Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
Professor Jacqueline Dunkley Bent OBE - Chief Midwifery Officer, NHS England
Martin Griffiths - Consultant Trauma and Vascular Surgeon, Barts NHS Health Trust & National Clinical Director for Violence Reduction, NHS
Dr Paula Franklin - Chief Medical Officer, Bupa Global & UK
Dr Jacqui Dyer - President, Mental Health Foundation & Deputy Leader, Lambeth Council
Professor Kevin Fenton - Regional Director for London, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities at the Department of Health and Social Care, President, UK Faculty of Public Health, Chief Advisor to the Government on HIV
Technology
Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE - CEO & Co-Founder, STEMettes
Ije Nwokorie - Senior Director, Apple
Nneka Abulokwe OBE - Founder and CEO, MicroMax Consulting
Rob Pierre - CEO, Jellyfish
Alex Okosi - Managing Director, YouTube Europe, Middle East & African Emerging Markets
Simon Hepburn (New) - CEO, UK Cyber Security Council
Dr Claudia Natanson MBE (New) - Chair, UK Cyber Security Council
Linda Morant (New) - Chief Digital Officer, The Crown Estate
- The Powerlist was launched in 2007 to showcase black role models to young people. It is now regarded as the leading authority on issues of black influence. Now in its 15th year, The Powerlist, in partnership with J.P.Morgan, honours incredible men and women across a wide range of industries including business, science, technology and the arts.
