dr Joanna Abeyie MBE

Award-winning Social Impact Entrepreneur, Champion of diversity, inclusion and equality,

Journalist and Broadcaster

Go-getting 34-year-old Joanna has increased, retained, and promoted the employment of diverse talent through inclusive hiring practices, challenging bias, and creating inclusive working cultures. Joanna launched Elevation Networks Charitable Trust at 18 and later Social Enterprise Shine Media, placing over 3000 people from diverse backgrounds into work within the creative industries. This work, coupled with her personal story, led to her TEDx Talk on Social Mobility in Oman in 2018. She also founded Hyden, part of FTSE 250 Global Recruiter SThree and Blue Moon, a flagship inclusive Executive Search Business and Diversity and Inclusion Consultancy Practice.

Joanna was instrumental in establishing the Creative Diversity All-Party Parliamentary Group with Baroness Deborah Bull, of which she is a joint secretary. Joanna sits on the UKRI Arts & Humanities Research Council and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Expert Advisory Panel Boundless Creativity Joint Research Project, is a member of the DCMS and Cultural Renewal Taskforce, Culture Committee and an Everyday Ally for UN Women.

She is a Non-Executive Director for Investors in People, an Advisory Board member RISE a group for women in Broadcast, Ambassador Mental Health in Recruitment, Expert Advisory Board Member for New Scotland Yard counter-terrorism Advisory Board, a Trustee for The Lord Mayor’s Appeal and Trustee and Director of The Media Society. Joanna is also a Trustee and Director of Haberdasher Askes Trust Federation Board and School Governor of Hatcham College and Mulberry Academy Shoreditch.

Joanna has received a Distinguished Graduate Award by The University of Reading, an Honorary Doctorate in Business from the University of West England and Freedom of the City in 2018. She became the first black female to become a Liverywoman for the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers and was awarded an MBE in the 2020 New Year’s Honours list for her services to diversity and inclusion in the creative and media industries.