Celebrating Black excellence during UK Black History Month, the Black British Business Awards 2026 have honoured trailblazing leaders, innovators and rising stars, including Dr Martens CEO Ije Nwokorie and former British Vogue Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful, for their achievements in shaping British business and culture.
The Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards) 2026 have recognised an outstanding line-up of Senior Leaders and Rising Stars whose achievements are helping to shape British business, break down barriers and create opportunities for future generations. Held on Friday 9 October at London’s Hilton Park Lane hotel, the awards ceremony, presented by JPMorganChase, brought together senior business leaders, entrepreneurs and influential figures from across the UK economy to celebrate the achievements of Black British talent.
Taking place during Black History Month in the UK, the awards highlighted the importance of recognising Black excellence, strengthening representation and ensuring that talented individuals have opportunities to progress into senior leadership. This year’s winners were selected across seven categories: STEM; Fashion, Beauty & Consumer; Arts & Media; Entrepreneur; Financial Services; Professional Services; and the newly introduced Retail & Hospitality category.
Under the 2026 theme #SHINE, the BBBAwards celebrated individuals whose leadership, creativity and innovation are creating pathways for others. The ceremony followed the announcement of this year’s finalists, which highlighted the breadth of Black talent contributing to industries across the UK.
DR MARTENS CEO IJE NWOKORIE NAMED BLACK BRITISH BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR
Ije Nwokorie, Chief Executive Officer of Dr. Martens, received the prestigious Black British Business Person of the Year 2026 award, recognising his leadership, creativity and contribution to business. Appointed CEO in January 2025, Nwokorie has played a pivotal role in shaping Dr. Martens’ long-term brand and growth strategy, following his tenure as Chief Brand Officer and previously as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the Board.
As CEO, he introduced a new Levers for Growth strategy, shifting the company from a channel-led to a customer-led operating model. The strategy aims to give more people more reasons to purchase its products, drive sustainable and profitable growth, and advance the company’s ambition to become the world’s most desired premium footwear brand. Nwokorie has also placed employee engagement and communication at the heart of his leadership approach. His bi-weekly Ije Edit video updates and global employee panels help colleagues understand the company’s strategic priorities while encouraging open dialogue as the business navigates change.
Before joining Dr. Martens’ executive team, Nwokorie held senior leadership roles at Apple, helping the company navigate periods of growth, cultural influence and operational scale. He also spent more than 11 years at Wolff Olins, ultimately becoming Worldwide Chief Executive Officer.
CREATIVITY, LEADERSHIP & GIVING BACK
Born in the US and raised in Nigeria from the age of six, Nwokorie has previously reflected on how his childhood shaped his approach to creativity and leadership. Moving from the lifestyle of 1960s America to a small Nigerian village, where his family lived without running water, encouraged him to find creative solutions using the resources available.
Nwokorie and his friends made their own entertainment, fashioning toys from everyday materials. Those experiences helped shape his belief that “creativity belongs to us all. It isn’t for the few, it’s for the many”. His career began at the intersection of technology, design and strategy, with early roles spanning game development, interaction design and architectural practice.
Alongside his executive career, Nwokorie has served as a trustee at charity: water for nearly a decade and held board positions at cultural and humanitarian organisations including the Institute of International Visual Arts and Malaria No More UK. He also chaired the board of trustees of the Chineke! Orchestra, the first European orchestra made up of a majority of Black and ethnically diverse musicians, which champions greater representation in classical music.
Accepting his award, Nwokorie said: “This recognition means a lot to me. While this award bears my name, it reflects the talent, dedication and generosity of the incredible teammates, mentors and leaders who have shaped me as a person and a professional. It is a powerful reminder that there is nothing more important in our leadership journeys than the time we invest to help others thrive.”
BLACK BRITISH BUSINESS AWARDS 2026: FULL LIST OF WINNERS
The 2026 winners represent an impressive breadth of talent, from financial services, technology and professional services to entrepreneurship, fashion, media and hospitality.
ARTS & MEDIA
- Senior Leader: Amie Parker-Williams, Director, Digital Commissioning & Production, Paramount.
- Rising Star: Sheniece Charway, Artist Partnership Manager (EMEA), YouTube/Google.
FASHION, BEAUTY & CONSUMER
- Senior Leader: Andrea Thompson, Journalist, Brand Consultant & Former Editor-in-Chief, Marie Claire UK.
- Rising Star: Yasmin O’Neal, Senior Director for Global Brand and Impact, DECIEM.
ENTREPRENEUR
- Senior Leader: Antonia Okonma Shittu, Founder & CEO, A-List Lace Hair.
- Rising Star: Dr Elsa Zekeng, Founder & CEO, SökerData.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
- Senior Leader: Melissa Max-Macarthy, Formerly Managing Director, Head of Strategy and Innovation, Retail Banking, NatWest Group.
- Rising Star: Nana Agyemang, Proposition Delivery Manager, Barclays.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
- Senior Leader: Laurie-Anne Power KC, Barrister, 25 Bedford Row.
- Rising Star: Jack Van Cooten, Senior Manager – External Vendors & Data, Oliver Wyman.
RETAIL & HOSPITALITY
- Senior Leader: Leona De Graft, VP Global Ecommerce, Levi Strauss and Co.
- Rising Star: Rickey Devonish, Head of Apprenticeships and Emerging Talent, JD Group.
STEM
- Senior Leader: Eustace Xavier, Finance Director, Technical Services, Mitie PLC.
- Rising Star: Maciah Smith, Innovation and Strategic Technology Roadmapping Analyst, Johnson Matthey.
BARCLAYS’ NANA AGYEMANG AMONG THIS YEAR’S RISING STARS
Among this year’s winners is Nana Agyemang, Proposition Delivery Manager at Barclays, who received the Financial Services Rising Star award. Ahead of the ceremony, Agyemang spoke exclusively to Fair Play Talks about representation, racial equity, resilience and his ambition to create a stronger community of Black professionals, entrepreneurs and allies.
In the interview, Agyemang reflected on his 12-year career at Barclays, the challenges he has navigated as a Black professional and the importance of visible role models in helping others realise their potential. He also discussed his work supporting entrepreneurs through Barclays Eagle Labs, his involvement in the bank’s Black Professionals Resource Group and his commitment to connecting professionals with networks and opportunities.
Agyemang’s ambition to build a wider community of Black professionals, entrepreneurs and allies reflects the BBBAwards’ wider mission of turning recognition into opportunity. His experience underlines why the BBBAwards remain an important platform for showcasing talent while encouraging organisations to create meaningful pathways into leadership.
SKY UK RECOGNISED FOR CHAMPIONING BLACK TALENT
The 2026 IMPACT Award went to Sky UK, recognising its commitment to creating opportunities for Black professionals and supporting their career progression. The award honours organisations that demonstrate a sustained and visible commitment to recognising, developing and advancing Black talent.
By recognising businesses alongside individual achievers, the BBBAwards also highlight the role employers play in addressing barriers to progression and ensuring Black professionals have equitable access to career opportunities.
EDWARD ENNINFUL RECEIVES 2026 ICON AWARD
Ghanaian-born British editor and stylist Edward Enninful received the prestigious 2026 ICON Award, celebrating his achievements, influence and contribution to British fashion and culture. Now in its second year, the award recognises a trailblazer whose vision, achievements and legacy have transformed their industry and helped shape British culture.
Enninful has spent decades challenging conventions and breaking barriers in the fashion industry. At just 18, he became Fashion Director of i-D magazine before making history in 2017 when he became Condé Nast’s first Black Editor-in-Chief, taking the helm of British Vogue.
During his tenure, he helped broaden representation within fashion publishing, championing more diverse voices, perspectives and creative talent. In 2023, he moved into the role of editorial advisor for the UK publication and global creative and cultural advisor across the Vogue portfolio. In 2025, he founded EE72, a global media and entertainment company and quarterly print magazine, extending his influence across fashion, storytelling and culture.
HONOURING THE LEGACY OF KANYA KING CBE
The inaugural ICON Award in 2025 honoured the late Kanya King CBE, Founder and CEO of the MOBO Group, whose pioneering work transformed the visibility and recognition of Black British music and culture. King’s legacy as a champion of Black creativity and an advocate for greater recognition of Black artists continues to resonate across the entertainment industry.
The two ICON recipients reflect the lasting influence of Black British trailblazers who have not only achieved individual success but also challenged established systems and created greater visibility for underrepresented talent. Previous Fair Play Talks coverage of the 2025 BBBAwards also highlighted King’s pioneering contribution alongside the achievements of senior business leaders and rising stars.
‘RECOGNITION MATTERS, BUT IT CANNOT BE THE GOAL’
Speaking at the ceremony, BBBAwards Executive Founder Dr Sophie Chandauka MBE praised the achievements of the finalists and winners while urging businesses to turn recognition into measurable progress. “Through your breathtaking achievements, leadership and willingness to stand visibly behind this mission, you bring pride and unity at a time when so much could divide us. You lend the BBBAwards credibility not simply to celebrate excellence, but to ensure the best and brightest from all communities get a fair shot. That commitment has made the BBBAwards the UK’s premium awards programme for Black business achievement.
“Recognition matters, but it cannot be the goal. Real progress depends on the courage of those with influence to challenge the status quo and demand that they recruit and retain in proportion to the Black talent leaving our schools, vocational colleges and universities. That is the work: to open doors, shift expectations and ensure Black talent is not only applauded, but invited and enabled to #SHINE, power and lead British business.”
Her message reinforced the importance of ensuring that recognition leads to real opportunities, including fair recruitment, retention, development and progression into senior leadership. It also reflects wider conversations about racial equity in British workplaces, where representation alone cannot guarantee access to influence, opportunity or decision-making power.
RECOGNISING BLACK EXCELLENCE ACROSS BRITISH BUSINESS
A spokesperson for JPMorganChase, the awards’ Key Partner, also praised the winners and their contribution to the UK economy. “We couldn’t be prouder to support and celebrate such an outstanding breadth of Black British talent. Meeting this year’s finalists and category winners, and hearing about their career journeys and achievements, is a powerful reflection of the spirit of #SHINE, recognising those whose brilliance, innovation and leadership illuminate pathways for others. Their accomplishments continue to inspire future generations and demonstrate the exceptional value they bring to businesses, communities and the wider UK economy.”
This year’s awards were also supported by AlixPartners, Baker McKenzie, Barclays, Diageo, The Financial Times, Goldman Sachs, JD Group, L’Oréal, Macquarie, Morgan Stanley, Ralph Lauren, Salesforce, Standard Chartered and Wellington Management.
As the UK marks Black History Month 2026, the BBBAwards offer an important reminder of the achievements and lasting contributions of Black professionals, entrepreneurs and creative leaders to the country’s business and cultural landscape.
However, as Chandauka emphasised, celebrating excellence is only part of the equation. The wider challenge for organisations is to ensure that Black talent is not only recognised and celebrated, but also supported, promoted and empowered to shape the future of British business.
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