THE winners of this year's Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards) have been announced.

A total of 39 black professionals across the UK were shortlisted across 12 categories for their achievements and contributions to the business world.

Miya Knights, 45, won the the arts and media senior leader of the year award.

Ms Knights, from Brighton, is a global content strategist at Poq Commerce and a published author.

She has over 23 years of experience as a journalist, editor, publisher, analyst, research director, consultant and now a content strategist.

She is the co-author of two best-selling books, Amazon: How the world’s most revolutionary retailer... and Omnichannel Retail, co-written with the former deputy CEO of Tesco, Tim Mason.

At the time of her nomination Ms Knights said: “I am grateful and honoured be recognised by the Black British Business Awards alongside such talented and accomplished professionals.

"The systemic disadvantages that black people in business have had to overcome have been well documented, so it’s incredibly empowering to see so many succeeding in their respective fields.

"But it’s not just about empowering us as finalists or as black leaders in British society, it’s also a great to hopefully inspire those coming up behind us."

The theme of the BBBAwards 2021 virtual ceremony was "amplify" in response to the large impact on black communities of the last 18 months.

The disproportionate effect of the coronavirus pandemic, the revival of the Black Lives Matter movement and the racial abuse directed at players following the Euro 2020 final has led organisers to highlight the importance of amplifying black voices from a range of industries.

Sophie Chandauka, executive founder and chairwoman of the Black British Business Awards said: “It is an honour to shine a spotlight on this year’s winners who are not only doing remarkable things in their own organisations but also in their personal lives.

"The ingenuity, resilience and commercial savviness of our rising stars is breathtaking. This year’s senior leaders epitomise the meaning of ‘role models’.

"They are leading significant commercial functions whilst acting as wise counsel for their investors, boards of directors and rising talent during the pandemic and period of social unrest. Congratulations again to all of this year’s winners and finalists.”

For more information on this year's awards visit www.thebbbawards.com

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