The biggest names in Britain's black business community will be gathering in London this month for a massive series of events aimed at showcasing black entrepreneurs and their contribution to Britain's economy.
The UK Black Business Show will be returning to Westminster on October 30 at the end of Black History Month and will welcome delegates and speakers from across the UK and beyond.
The show was founded by Raphael Sofoluke - who has this year expanded to launch a programme of events under the banner of UK Black Business Week.
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Speakers at the flagship UK Black Business Show will include author and broadcaster June Sarpong, broadcasting legend Sir Trevor McDonald, Mobo Awards founder and CEO Kanya King, and UK Black Tech founder Mark Martin MBE.
UK Black Business Week starts with a launch event on Monday, October 25, with Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng as keynote speaker.
That is followed by a series of events throughout the week, including Black Women and Men Business Talks on the Tuesday, the Black Tech Professional Show on Wednesday, the Black Media, Culture & Sports Show on Thursday, and the Black Finance Show on Friday, October 29.
On Saturday, October 30, the UK Black Business Show will take over the QEII Centre in Westminster.
The show, sponsored by HSBC, will feature business exhibitions, workshops and seminars.
The event has been backed by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
He said: "I promised to be the most pro-business mayor London has ever seen and I want our city to be a place where all Londoners can flourish. We should be proud that our businesses are led by some of the most talented people in the world, and some of our most inspiring and successful companies are led by black business leaders.
“However, we need to do more to remove the barriers to success. I’m delighted that the UK Black Business Show is inspiring and supporting businesses who are building a workforce that is truly representative of London’s population.”
BBW's advisory committee includes Annika Allen, co-founder of Black Magic Awards, Kofi Kusitor MBE, founder of Colourful Radio, and Sharniya Ferdinand, business inclusion programme manager at NatWest Commercial Banking.
