The 19th Annual PRECIOUS Awards — A powerful, purpose filled and emotional night honouring Black women and women of colour in business and leadership and the allies who champion them — was celebrated on Friday, 21 November at the Royal Horseguards Hotel (United Kingdom).
Meet the 2025 winners:
🎉 Start-Up Business of the Year — LocaeRise BuildLocalGrowGlobal
Sponsored by the British Library Business & IP Centre
🎉 Outstanding Woman in Public Sector — Dr Jummy Okoya PhD, FRSA, FCMI, SFHEA, MCIPD, ICF (PCC), Dean, Office for Institutional Equity; University of East London
🎉 Creative Business of the Year Sponsored by Brand By Me— Louder Than Words Ltd
🎉 Outstanding Woman in Professional Services Sponsored by Wealthways— Barbara Ruffett, BSc (Hons) LLB MCInstCES NECReg Associate Director, Assystem
🎉 Outstanding Woman in STEM , Sponsored by @The Ilesha Trust — Dr Kalpana Surendranath PhD SfHEA FRSB NTF, University of Westminster
🎉 The Leadership Award — Felicia Mattis-Rome, CEO, Business Launchpad Tooting Works
🎉 The Social Impact Award — Carol Akiwumi, Founder, The AVOCADO Foundation
🎉 Coach of the Year — Shareen Sinclair, Trades Angel
🎉 Man of the Year — Lee Chambers, CEO, Male Allies
🎉 The Judges Prize – Leila P. – Secretary to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry
Says Carol Akiwumi MBE:
Standing with a Social Impact Award in my hand, I was reminded of Foluke Akinlose MBE FRSA‘s beautiful quote:
“I’ve learned that success doesn’t always shout. Sometimes it’s a quiet, steady belief that you were called to create something that didn’t exist before.”
In my case, that “quiet, steady belief” is often interrupted by team and community messages, funding deadlines and the constant question: “How am I so blessed that this life chose me?”Then I remember: purpose… and love.
To the judges: thank you for recognising work that is often invisible until the impact finally speaks for itself.
To my The AVOCADO Foundation team: thank you for keeping things afloat when I’m juggling fifteen things at once.
And to my fellow World Changers: you are the heartbeat of everything I do. You remind me every day that purpose isn’t just a strategy—it’s a love language.
This award is a celebration of collective strength, shared purpose, and the kind of love that builds, heals, and transforms communities.
Thank you again, PRECIOUS Awards for this honour — I receive it with gratitude, humility, and a very full heart ♥️