CEO & Founder

Adese Okojie

Adese Okojie established black woman in Human Resources in June 2019 out of her own personal experiences and challenges as a black woman in organisations without seeing anyone that looks like her to be a role model.

Adese has over a decade of Human Resources and transformation experience and presently working at a global Engineering organisation as Senior HR Partner. She is an expert in employee relations, organisational development strategy and a strong advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion.

She is a mother to her teenage son, and in her spare time she volunteers at her local Church as a Sunday School Teacher, attends music concerts, researches something new and travels the world to discover new cultures

Her vision is for BWHR to be the leading platform for black professionals globally to connect, empower each other and share best practice in a safe environment.

Managing Director Oakleaf US

Simon Hunt

Simon has 22 years of HR recruitment expertise. He was in HR recruitment for firms in Australia & London before becoming one of the founding members of the Oakleaf team at the beginning of 2006.

During his tenure at Oakleaf Simon has recruited HR professionals across all industry sectors as well as being integral in launching and developing all aspects of Oakleaf’s revenue streams.

In 2022 Simon launched Oakleaf in the US and now spends much of his time in New York where he delivers on senior mandates for the HR community as well as building Oakleaf’s brand in the US market.

He has always been passionate about supporting talent communities across the HR profession.

CEO at Caerus Executive

Frank Douglas

Frank Douglas is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Caerus Executive. In this short period, Caerus has established itself as one of the top consulting firms, focusing on HR strategy, talent management and diversity. In 2019 Frank was inducted into the HR Magazine Hall of Fame for his work on culture and inclusion.

Prior to this, Frank was the Executive Vice President, Group Human Resources Director for Misys, a global technology company. He was the Group HR Director for Transport for London/TfL. Frank has also served as the Executive Vice President, Group Human Resources Director and Pension Trustee, for Scottish and Newcastle Plc (S&N). Frank was the first HR Manager to win the BT Chairman’s Award for championing and delivering a project that saved BT £200 million, over three years.

In 2010 Frank was elected as a Non-Executive Director of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development/ CIPD.

Regional Director Network– Financial Services

Oliemata O’Donoghue

Oliemata has spent the last 22 years in the Financial Services Industry working in Banking and Finance. She has done numerous roles from frontline branch leadership to national roles, including Optimisation Director in regulated business functions.  Her current role is Regional Director – Branch Network.  Oliemata thoroughly enjoys her role as she has always been passionate growing colleagues, customer engagement and the wider societal impact we can drive in our local communities and broader.

Oliemata is an external coach and mentor and is focused on supporting the future generation who are aspiring to be leaders and change makers. She is very passionate about driving inclusion and pro-actively work with Employee resource groups /Business leaders to drive meaningful change focus on the Ethnicity Agenda and intersectionality.

Oliemata has a clear focus on driving community engagement,  and  chaired the Regional Communities Committee in the South of England for 2 years, collaborating internally and externally to support local charities.

• Named in the FT and Yahoo finance top 100 BAME Leader in 2018 and 2019
• Nominated for Women in Banking and Finance Awards Champion for Women Award shortlist finalist for 2020
• Nominated for Champion for Rising Stars in 2021

CEO & Founder FD2i

Fiona Daniel

Fiona has over 25 years’ financial services experience and has held a range of roles within Retail and Wealth Management, Commercial Bank, Customer Experience and Learning and Development. She is an HR qualified, diversity and inclusion leader with many years of experience leading and growing the national and global diversity & inclusion agenda for one of the largest banking and financial service organisations in the world.

Her diversity and inclusion credentials are many, including being the UK Lead for Ethnicity, founder of the first Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority network in 2011, and its chair for 3 years. She then went on to be the first Global Head of Employee Networks, a Senior Global D&I Relationship Manager, the interim Global Head of D&I and the first Head of Diversity and Inclusion for HSBC UK.

She is now an independent consultant working in partnership with companies to implement and embed diversity and inclusion. Fiona is also career coach and mentor, facilitator, a Women Onboards UK ambassador and consultant, awards judge, diversity and inclusion speaker and panellist.

Fiona is a Non-Executive Director sitting on two different boards, one a large NHS Foundation Trust and another a large charity, and she is an Advisory Board Member at DiversityQ.

She has been named as one of the most influential D&I Leaders of 2020 in the Hive Learning List, one of the Top 50 Must Follow Black Female Entrepreneurs, Influencers and Speakers in 2020 and named as one of the Most Influential Black Women in Business to Follow in 2021 by CIO Views Magazine.

Director of Inclusion for NHS Barts Health

Bernadette Thompson OBE

Bernadette is the Associate Director of Inclusion for NHS Barts Health. Prior to this role, she spent 23 years in the Civil Service where she held a range of operational and HR roles, across many Government departments and agencies, including, Ministry of Justice, Home Office, HM Treasury, Legal Aid Agency, Cabinet Office and Department for Levelling Up.

She is a strategic and progressive HR professional with in-depth knowledge, insight and expertise in the Diversity and Inclusion, employee engagement and cultural intelligence.

For 5 years, Bernadette co-chaired a multi-award-winning cross government race network; she is a pivotal influencer and trusted partner to senior leaders across a range of sectors. She has a proven track record of engaging with employees at every level, reaching hearts and minds, supporting people to be the best that they can be.

In the 2021 Queens Birthday Honours list, Bernadette was awarded an OBE for services to Diversity and Inclusion.

Director of People & Culture at ISS UK&I

Sandy Lucas

Sandy is Director of People & Culture at ISS UK&I. Her purpose is to make UK&I the Employer of Choice & Belonging within the Facilities Management industry whilst ensuring the health and welfare of the ISS employees remains a key priority.

Prior to ISS, Sandy was Chief People Officer & Director of Operations at AMS having enjoyed a 23 year career at GE Capital in global, EMEA and in-country positions including Lean Six Sigma Leader, Commercial Director and Chief Operating Officer.

Sandy has championed gender balance throughout her career and has volunteered with CWN (on for the longest established independent organisations for professional women in London) for over 12 years previously being co-chair Membership, President and President Emeritus.

Board HR Practitioner, Thought Leader and Writer

Amanda Rajkumar

Amanda Rajkumar is a Board HR practitioner, thought leader and writer focusing on people, leadership, culture and workplace equity.

A global, strategic leader with experience on both executive and non-executive boards across FMCG, financial services, arts, and education sectors. A CEO’s trusted advisor who understands deeply leadership succession, remuneration and impactful leadership development.

With over 28 years of People & HR experience, she most recently served as an Executive Board Member for Human Resources, People & Culture at adidas. She joined adidas in their HQ in Germany in January 2021 and was responsible for creating and implementing a new people strategy, improving the employee culture and experience and improving leadership and talent capabilities across the organisation. Additionally, Amanda also served as the Labour Director.

In September 2022, Amanda was awarded the Female Allstar Board of 2022 by Handelsblatt and Bain & Co.

Amanda joined adidas from BNP Paribas, where she held various global HR leadership roles based in Europe and the US. In her final position there, she was the Chief Human Resources Officer for the Americas region, overseeing the retail and wholesale divisions of the Intermediary Holding Company of BNP Paribas in the Americas.

Before this, Amanda held various senior HR leadership and managerial positions at JPMorgan Chase. She began her professional career as a research psychologist before joining the London-based recruitment consultancy JM Management.

Amanda holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Goldsmiths College, London University, UK.

In January 2024, Amanda relocated back to London and became a contributing writer for Raconteur and HR World.

Amanda served as a Board Trustee for the Black British Initiative since June 2023 and became Chair of the charity from April 2024 to April 2025.