Black British Initiative

We’re looking forward to joining Bayes Black in Business Club Founders’ Forum for an evening dedicated to fostering the entrepreneurial spirit and navigating challenges in today’s business landscape. Our founder, Darren Miller will be taking part in a panel alongside, Stephanie Olubajo – Founder & CEO of MEJI Foods and Emmanuel Dei – Co-Founder of LyncFit & Top 150 Future Leaders List The panel will be expertly facilitated by Costas Andriopoulos, Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Bayes Business School, who will lead the discussion on the realities of entrepreneurship, overcoming challenges, and seizing opportunities. 📅 Date: March 17, 2025 🕕 Time: 18:00 - 20:00 📍 Venue: Room 407, Bayes Business School, 33 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AG This is a fantastic opportunity to hear from accomplished entrepreneurs, gain valuable insights, and expand your network. Don’t miss out! Secure your spot now—scan the QR code on the flyer or reach out for more details. #Entrepreneurship #Networking #BlackInBusiness #BayesBusinessSchool #FoundersForum

What a brilliant start to our MBA 30 programme last week with Cohort 7! We're the UK’s only accredited mini-MBA, focussed on developing, scaling and boosting profitability for the UK’s Black-owned businesses. The morning started with Lord Dr Michael Hastings CBE illuminating the class with a striking example of how entrepreneurship brought forth the world’s most ubiquitous invention. Early afternoon, Mastercard’s Senior Vice President, Rupert Naylor’s contribution amazed the class by sharing insights of his dynamic career and a memorable presentation about how Mastercard uses testing and data to inform strategic decision making. The day ended, with the formidable Christina Okorocha, co-founder of VAMP , renowned for delivering ground-breaking campaigns for the biggest names in TV and film including Netflix, The Walt Disney Company, Apple as well as being leaders in influencer marketing, special events linked to music sports and gaming and finally, podcast production Accredited by SOAS University of London, Black British Initiative MBA 30 is perhaps the only mini MBA where you will directly hear from at least sixteen world class leaders from a variety of backgrounds, sharing insights and knowledge that simply helps businesses to transform. Get ahead by registering now for MBA 30 Cohort Eight commencing on 22nd April to 15th May 2025 by contacting mba@blackbritishinitiative.com

Join us for the Bayes Black in Business Club Founders’ Forum—an evening dedicated to fostering the entrepreneurial spirit and navigating challenges in today’s business landscape. We’re bringing together inspiring founders, including: 💡 Darren Miller – CEO & Founder, Black British Initiative & MBA 30 💡 Stephanie Olubajo  – Founder & CEO of MEJI Foods 💡 Emmanuel Dei – Co-Founder of LyncFit & Top 150 Future Leaders List And more exciting guests! 🎤 The panel will be expertly facilitated by Costas Andriopoulos, Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Bayes Business School, who will lead the discussion on the realities of entrepreneurship, overcoming challenges, and seizing opportunities. 📅 Date: March 17, 2025 🕕 Time: 18:00 - 20:00 📍 Venue: Room 407, Bayes Business School, 33 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AG This is a fantastic opportunity to hear from accomplished entrepreneurs, gain valuable insights, and expand your network. Don’t miss out! Secure your spot now—scan the QR code on the flyer or reach out for more details. #Entrepreneurship #Networking #BlackInBusiness #BayesBusinessSchool #FoundersForum

A unique and transformative aspect of MBA 30 is the extraordinary calibre of its industry guests. Beneficiaries of the course will experience contributions from at least 14 experts per cohort, leaders, founders and executives, providing a unique perspective on relevant aspects of the programme. Their anecdotes and comments are inspiring and it’s a rare chance to have puzzling questions addressed by those with direct experience and special insights. This video captures extracts from three of them, Gabriel Osamor, IMC , David Woods of British Business Bank and Andrew Xeni Founder and CEO of Fabacus, Founder Nobody's Child and also Founder of Soreto MBA 30 Cohort Seven commences on Monday 3rd March 2025 MBA30 Cohort Eight commences on Monday 22nd April 2025 enquire now by contacting mba@blackbritishinitiative.com Darren Miller Becky Hilyer

Black British Initiative's MBA 30 prides it self of combing theory and practice, this is another example of achieving that goal

This Monday 17th February, we're proud to be hosting a special Open Day event to launch the next cohort of the Black British Initiative’s successful MBA programme for Black entrepreneurs, in partnership with SOAS University of London. Are you a Black entrepreneur looking to upskill and boost your business prospects? If so, this course may be the one for you. If you’re interested in gaining a business qualification over a shorter period of time - RSVP to our launch event to find out more about the programme accredited by SOAS.  Why Attend? - Gain insights into marketing, investment, & digital innovation - Elevate your leadership & governance skills - Learn essential business & financial strategies - Understand what VCs & investors look for The event will include a panel discussion featuring CEO & Founder of BBI Darren Miller as well as other successful Black entrepreneurs and previous course attendees, as well as a Q&A and networking session with like-minded business people. 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/ez7QxptC  Can’t make it in person? No problem! Register your interest, and we’ll keep you updated. Tag a fellow entrepreneur who needs to see this! Let’s build, grow, and elevate together! #MBA30 #BBI #BlackExcellence #Entrepreneurship

Announcing MBA 30 Cohort Seven’s three amazing industry guests. Continuing a BBI tradition, the distinguished Lord Dr Michael Hastings CBE will start proceedings, by welcoming this new group of dynamic entrepreneurs to SOAS, before handing over to Dr Alberto Asquer. Later the class will be addressed by Rupert Naylor, Mastercard’s Senior Vice President, responsible for Services Business Development and sales. Ending with a crescendo in the afternoon, with the fabulous Lottie Whyte, CEO Myomaster of Dragon’s Den fame, who will inspire and engage the attendees, by sharing inspirational details of her own incredible business journey.   The lessons and wisdom being imparted by this trio, compliments SOAS’s world class academics and ensures Black British Initiative's mission to boost commercial prospects and unlock talent remains on track   To enrol for MBA 30 cohort Seven, make contact now mba@blackbritishinitiative.com A special thanks to Andrew Xeni, Shelley Bishton, Chris Brook-Carter, Ruby-Jade Aryiku and Darren Miller for opening his black book

Welcoming two new incredible and dynamic visionaries to Black British Initiative's board of Trustees, Shelley Bishton and Chris Brook-Carter, bringing the necessary wisdom, skills and network to broaden BBI’s reach and scale its impact. SHELLEY BISHTON  With over 20 years of experience across Media, Marketing, Partnerships, PR, Advertising and DEI, Shelley is a renowned leader in her field, boasting three DEI Awards and is celebrated for championing innovation, transformation, and equity, as well as building partnerships necessary to drive transformative change.   As Head of DE&I at News UK, Shelley achieved significant progress in workforce diversity, increasing female representation from 36% to 46% and ethnic minority representation from 9% to 12%. Past collaborators include the Black Collective Media in Sport, The Raheem Sterling Foundation, and The Black Business Week. Shelley also secured sponsorship and media for the pivotal Black Pound Report, championing economic equity for Black communities, essential for achieving societal cohesion and harmony.   CHRIS BROOK-CARTER  An award winner, Chris has been a passionate supporter, advocate and champion of UK retail across his entire career, a celebrated positive action and diversity in business campaigner, recognised by both the Women’s Business Council and Management Today as an agent of change, by fighting for gender equality in business leadership.   Prior to joining the Retail Trust in May 2020, Chris was the Managing Director and Senior Vice President of Retail Week – the most influential media brand in UK retail – and the World Retail Congress, the single biggest gathering of global retail’s leadership each year. Over a ten year period, in his various roles of Editor in Chief, Managing Director or Senior Vice President, Chris transformed the business from a weekly print title, into a digital-first information and global events brand, which remains at the heart of global retail by informing, connecting and inspiring leaders who continue to colour the largest sector, outside of the NHS.   It is Beyond doubt, MBA 30 is upskilling Black entrepreneurs, transforming their prospects and helping to realise the £75bn growth potential mentioned by Coutts Private Bank, most beneficial for the UK, at a time of economic challenge.   Now the blueprint is established, our mission is to grow and scale, so more entrepreneurs benefit. The enlarged board will help deliver Darren Miller's vision and maintain the momentum, built since the launch of MBA 30 cohort one, just 15 months ago.

An incredible start to MBA 30 Cohort Six. With standing room only, the packed class bristled with energy and anticipation as the entrepreneurs scrolled through the first day’s agenda, detailing SOAS University of London’s lecturers and that day’s industry guests. Hubbub and excitement, gave way to silence as Black British Initiative's CEO & Founder Darren Miller introduced the first contributor, Lord Dr Michael Hastings CBE. He didn’t disappoint, with his words about the societal value of entrepreneurship, inspiring the cohort. Now fully engaged, next, Tom Athron, CEO of Fortnum and Mason, a department store renowned for stocking the world’s highest quality foods and drinks, explained why his customer centric brand, continues to ascend whilst others experience decline. Ending with a crescendo, Emmanuel Eribo co-founder and CEO of Vegan footwear brand LØCI, provided insight into the gritty reality of being a dynamic, tenacious and driven business founder, including a rare insight into the ‘secret sauce’ responsible for his success. If you missed it, this video captures the highlights. Entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, to enrol on MBA 30 Cohort Seven commencing on 3rd March 2025, make contact now mba@blackbritishinitiative.com Thanking all the MBA 30 Cohort Six entrepreneurs who contributed to this video Annika Allen Gray (She/Her), Mercedes Benson, Nadine Campbell, Mark Maciver and Jamarly Wright.

If you know less than your competitors, you are immediately at an immense disadvantage, yet this is the reality faced by an overwhelming majority of the UK’s Black entrepreneurs. 15 months ago, BBI set out to address this seemingly intractable problem, by launching a transformative educational program with an important mission, to realise and convert the UK’s deep reservoirs of Black entrepreneurial talent, boosting the UK’s GDP by as much as £75bn, according to Coutts Private Bank. Black British Initiative MBA 30 achieved that goal! A full MBA is immensely powerful and is a qualification held by some of the most successful entrepreneurs globally including Elon Musk, Michael Bloomberg, Larry Page and Phil Knight, founder of Nike but can cost up to £100,000 and take 12 to 24 months to complete on a full-time basis. These barriers to entry make it prohibitive for at least 99% of the UK's Black population. The answer, democratising access to executive education. Collaborating with Baroness Doreen Lawrence OBE's SLDF BBI conceived the transformative MBA 30, validated, accredited and delivered by SOAS University of London and positively celebrating Stephen Lawrence’s legacy. With cohort six commencing on 13th January, MBA 30 has been a huge triumph, with SOAS’s professors equipping founders and micro business leaders with the key lessons and knowledge from a full MBA, to empower growth, development and scale. SOAS’s academic team are supported by ‘world class’ industry contributors, leading business experts, who ‘send the elevator back down’, by sharing insights; knowledge and details about how they operate their significant organisations, ensuring MBA 30 remains cutting edge. With 2024 drawing to a close, we are taking this opportunity to thank our sponsors NatWest Group, RIBA, Centrepoint, Retail Trust, News UK and Rosenblatt Memery Crystal Julie Baker Also industry contributors: CBE Natalia Gamero del Castillo Calleja Tom Athron Emmanuel Eribo Greg Fuzesi Bianca Miller - Cole Martin Verdult Harriet Vocking Gareth Thomas Alexander Clegg Mark Diamond Amanda Rajkumar Roux Brits Chris Brook-Carter Jonathan Lerner Luther Kisanga Jamie Beck Paul Martin David Woods Demi Ariyo Katie Buckett Claudia Osei-Nsafoah Andrew Xeni Chris Turner A special thank you to Media Monks Sir Martin Sorrell Joanna Cotton Naana Orleans-Amissah Tassia Quirino