Black History Month Reception: Standing Firm in Power and Pride

Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell is an ex-elite athlete who swam for both Great Britain and Kenya over a 10-year career. She is a former British Champion, world number one and the first Black woman ever to swim for Great Britain. Honoured in Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2023 in the Social Impact category and TIME’s list of 18 Black leaders working to end the racial wealth gap, Rebecca is also the CEO of The 10,000 Interns Foundation, a non-profit that champions underrepresented talent. Rebecca studied Fine Art at the University of Oxford. She lives in London but still calls Kenya home. Winner of the Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards and shortlisted for both the William Hill Sports Book of the Year and the Hatchards First Biography Prize, her award winning memoir, These Heavy Black Bones, was published in 2024.

Elvis Anoma-Amoabeng is currently an Associate at ICG in London, specialising in capital raising and investor relations. With a background in equity research at Credit Suisse, he now focuses on private credit at ICG and co-chairs the firm’s employee-led culture and ethnic heritage network, UNIFY. His career spans include investment research, client acquisition strategy, global investor engagement, and mentoring early-career professionals to expand access into finance. Recognised by Google as a Top Black Talent, Elvis combines financial acumen with a deep commitment to equity, aiming to foster meaningful dialogue on representation and inclusion across the industry.

Natalie is a Senior Manager in the Strategy, Policy and Economics team at the British Business Bank, where she leads the Unlocking Potential objective to ensure entrepreneurs across the UK can access the finance they need regardless of where and who they are. With over 20 years’ experience fostering entrepreneurial growth, she has supported countless small businesses to start, scale and grow. Her contributions were recognised with an MBE for Services to Businesses in the East Midlands in The King’s New Year Honours 2023. Natalie holds an MBA and contributes her expertise as a Trustee of Nottingham Playhouse, a Non-Executive Board Member at Loughborough University, and a member of the Invest in Women Ecosystem Working Group, which champions systemic change to support women entrepreneurs.

Abi Mohamed leads Community at Diversity VC, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to setting a global benchmark for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the venture capital industry. With over seven years of experience in startups and venture capital, Abi has held a variety of roles supporting scaling founders, investing, and driving initiatives to build a fairer and more inclusive world.