• Kehinde Ogunnimo calls on organisations to put words into action
  • WBS Black in Business part of a global network calling for change
  • The 26 year-old sees Black History Month as a celebration of "oneness"
  • She joined the society to gain a "feeling of representation"

Prominent WBS Black in Business member Kehinde Ogunnimo believes more companies need to put in place proper structures and processes to promote black talent rather than just speaking about it.

October is Black History Month and after the surge in support for Black Lives Matter following last year’s worldwide protests over the killing of George Floyd in the US, many organisations have declared their support for diversity and inclusion.

But a 2020 Business in the Community report revealed that black employees hold just 1.5 per cent of top management roles in the UK private sector - a figure that has increased just 0.1 percentage points since 2014.

The Race at the Top: Revisited report found there has been even less progress on black representation in the public sector, where the number of black employees in leadership roles remained static at one per cent over the same period.

Kehinde (pictured) was VP Marketing for WBS Black in Business when it was set up in 2020 and feels more needs to be done to increase the level of black representation in senior positions in the UK.

According to her, organisations should be more deliberate about having a diverse team. The MSc Business with Marketing graduate argues there is a lot of great rhetoric about increasing diversity and black representation, but it is clearly not yet improving things.

"We now need action and organisations to put in place policies in their recruitment and promotion procedures to ensure the encouraging words deliver results," she said.

Kehinde street photo
Proud: Kehinde Ogunnimo says Black History Month celebrates how black people stand tall against the odds

“Employment should be based on merit; colourism, or racism, in all its forms, should be absent when major decisions need to be taken.

"Black History Month means an appreciation of our colour and how we stand tall despite the odds. It is a celebration of oneness in the different places we find ourselves.”

WBS Black in Business was set up to tackle systemic racism in business and has joined forces with similar groups at the likes of London Business School, Imperial Business School, ESADE Barcelona and HEC Paris to create a global network.

Kehinde, who aims to transition into consulting or work at a FMCG company after graduating, added: “I joined WBS Black in Business because I live in a diverse society, and I needed a feeling of representation, plus I understand that the voice of a group is louder than an individual and it is easier to make an impact as a team. 

She worked with the senior marketing officer overseeing the public relations and managing the social media accounts and believes “it is important to keep raising our profile and building links to improve black representation in business”.

Kehinde, who worked in the banking sector in Nigeria before moving to the UK, believes the society and extracurricular activity at WBS were almost as rewarding and valuable as her academic studies, allowing her to build important contacts and networks.

“The four walls of any institution form a major part of the life of every student,” said the 26 year-old. “Away from studying, students socialise with the network they build in school alongside the teams they form during extracurricular activities. 

“The impact of school is almost immediate as this shapes a student’s ideas and influences their life choices, whether in line with their chosen courses or otherwise. 

“We indulged in get-togethers, game nights, hangouts, sporting activities and friendly competitions outside of our studies, which helped to build bonds and also exchange ideas. 

“These activities helped us build an inner circle and trust over time, especially coming from different backgrounds and diverse cultural beliefs.

“My time at Warwick was truly transformational and I believe the work we did with WBS Black in Business will be of real benefit not just to me but for others following in our footsteps.”