Mar 7

Mar 7 10 Black British Women in Business Breaking the Glass Ceiling

Whether you’re considering launching a start-up, have a start-up that’s stuck in its infancy or you are looking to make real strides in your career, we have got the inspiration you may well need. 10 high-flying Black British women that are breaking glass ceilings. There are so many incredible women completely bossing their respective industries to draw from, however for now we bring you our list of 10 that will hopefully help to turn your aspirations into a reality. In no particular order, here you go.

1.Yvonne Bajela

Award winning venture capitalist and partner at LocalGlobe and Latitude. As a founding member of Impact X with a $100m fund, Bajela invested in underrepresented entrepreneurs. She is a strong advocate for Black women entrepreneurs and as such has been recognised for her work by publications such as the Financial Times and listed on the Forbess 30 Under 30 Europe Finance List.

2. Gisela Abbam

Senior Global Executive and the Chair of the General Pharmaceutical Council. Abbam is at the absolute top of her game in the healthcare industry and a force to be reckoned with. Whilst working for the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and General Electric (GE), Abbam was able to generate $600m revenue with a $3b pipeline. She made history twice by being the first Black Chair of the General Pharmaceutical Council, and is the first Black chair of the British Science Association.

3. Varaidzo Tendai Moyo

CEO and Founder of Ruka Hair, a brand established to do hair like it has never been done before. In an interview with Forbes, Moyo said “curly hair extensions were lumped into categories which led to a lot of trial and error and wasted money”. Their mission is to create hair and beauty solutions that truly work for Black people. As seen on TV and billboards, Ruka Hair has quickly built a brand that connects and resonates with its demographic. Consumers have bought into the story, the culture and the quality of hair stands-up in an extremely competitive market.

4. Sharmadean Reid MBE

CEO and Founder of Beautystack, a networked marketplace app for influential beauty professionals. As a founder, writer and creative consultant, Reids career spans 20 years. She has launched an innovation led salon, Wah Nails as well as the beauty tech start up BeautyStack and now a media company. Her work explores the role that communities and networks play in relationships between women, equity and power.

5. Ade Hassan MBE

CEO and Founder of Nubian Skin, a lingerie and hosiery brand for women of colour. Frustrated by the lack of nude undergarments available, Hassan with no experience in fashion or manufacturing began her venture into a whole new world; it was time for “a different kind of nude.” Hassan had the idea but needed an experienced team to bring it to life.

The company launched in 2014, and has seen remarkable success which includes providing Beyonce garments for her Formation tour, partnering with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, resulting in the creation of the UK's first Softie Breast Forms catering specifically to women of colour, in October 2022.

6. Deborah Okenla

CEO and Founder of YSYS (Your Start-up, Your Story). A startup community dedicated to connecting Black founders with opportunities in tech.
Okenla made the decision to quit her job at Ernst & Young, which eventually led her to launch YSY. What went from a community built from connections on X now has over 17,000 members in six years and has helped raise over £5 million.

7. Dr Heather Melville OBE

Dr Melville is Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Royal Bank of Scotland Group and a Founder and Global Chair of the RBS Focused Women's Network. With over 20 years of experience covering global client relationships across FTSE 100-250 companies, Melville has established an esteemed reputation in the business and banking world. In 2022, she was appointed as the seventh Chancellor of the University of York.

8. Dr Sharon Watson MBE

CEO and Principal of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance: A pioneer in her field, she was one of the first female Principal Dancers invited to join the all-male award winning Phoenix Dance Company, touring with the company from 1989 to 1997 where she choreographed Never Still and Shaded Limits. Watson is a recently appointed trustee of Manchester International Festival and remains a trustee of Leeds 2023. She is committed to improving diversity within the arts by supporting the creative voices of women and Black, Asian and ethnic minority artists.

9. Chantelle Bell

Co-Founder of Syrona Health, a virtual health clinic. Along with Co-Founder Anya Roy, are on a mission to change the status quo and tackle the underserved areas of healthcare. The idea was borne from their own experiences and stigmatisation that came with them whilst studying at Cambridge.
“From navigating the challenges of fertility and pregnancy to other ‘women’s problems’ such as menopause or menstruation, talking about female reproductive issues is still seen as taboo..We are here to change that.” Bell says

10. Erika Brodnock MBE

Co-Founder of Kinhub. Brodnock is striving to create fairer and more equitable workplaces for all. Kinhub is a health and wellbeing platform that provides your employees and managers with personalised support whenever needed. “Even if it’s more convenient for people to access it at 3 a.m. when they have a crying baby who’s teething, then we’re there as well.” Brodnock said in an interview with TechCrunch. In September 2023, the media outlet also reported the company was in the process of raising $2.5m and expanding to the U.S.