# Can mentoring help more Black Britons get boardroom jobs? Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-10-11 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: Inspiring Black Professionals Changing the Narrative in Meta Description: Discover the journey of Kofi Siaw and others breaking into white-dominated fields, challenging stereotypes, and forging paths for the next generation. URL: https://financedigest.com/can-mentoring-help-more-black-britons-get-boardroom-jobshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2021-10-11t160002z1lynxmpeh9a0sprtroptp4us-britain-race-workers-1736837686451-compressed.jpg) By Sonia Elks LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – As a Black teenager growing up in South London, Kofi Siaw had a problem – he dreamed of a high-flying career as a city professional, but had no contacts and few role models to help him get there. Frustrated by seeing young Black men depicted in the media mainly in relation to crime, Siaw wanted to show youngsters like him they could aspire to break into white-dominated fields – and reach the top jobs, too. Working with the Urban Synergy youth mentoring programme, he helped [organise a series of events](https://www.financedigest.com/6-steps-to-organising-an-introvert-friendly-networking-event.html "6 Steps to organising an introvert-friendly networking event ") featuring Black professionals. Even for him, the meetings were a revelation. “I remember at the time being surprised to see a Black pilot. I was like, brah, there’s Black people that fly planes?,” said, Siaw, who is now 29 and [works as a senior associate at auditing firm](https://www.financedigest.com/financial-services-firms-are-prioritising-flexible-working.html "Financial Services firms are prioritising Flexible Working") EY. “That was when it just got me thinking ‘I’ve got to think beyond Deptford’,” he said, referring to the inner city district where he grew up. Black people make up about 3% of the population of England and Wales, but hold just 1.5% of senior management jobs in the private sector, according to an analysis released last [year by Business](https://www.financedigest.com/2018-is-a-year-of-regulation-is-your-business-ready.html "2018 is a year of regulation – is your business ready?") in the Community, a charity. No Black people held a [top three position at a company listed on the FTSE 100 share index last year](https://www.financedigest.com/2017-cfo-outlook-top-priorities-as-new-year-gets-underway.html "2017 CFO Outlook: Top Priorities as New Year Gets Underway"), found a report by recruitment firm Green Park. You’ve got many barriers to overcome,” said Warren Wellington, co-founder and chair of the Black [British City Group for professionals working in the City of London](https://www.financedigest.com/british-pm-sunak-revives-talks-for-arms-london-ipo-ft.html "British PM Sunak revives talks for Arm’s London IPO -FT"). Those who [manage to break into prestigious white-dominated sectors can find their progress](https://www.financedigest.com/geometric-progression-based-on-digitization-to-be-witnessed-by-reproductive-management-products-market.html "Geometric Progression based on Digitization to be witnessed by Reproductive Management Products Market") checked by a lack of representation and mentorship, as well as often subtle but persistent negative stereotypes about race, he said. “If racism robs you of opportunity or a chance to better yourself, then to me that’s when it really is an issue,” he added. MENTORSHIPS With scant signs of increasing Black representation in British boardrooms, mentoring and internship programmes offer [practical steps](https://www.financedigest.com/factoring-in-fail-safes-five-practical-steps-for-more-efficient-transparent-reporting.html "Factoring in fail-safes: five practical steps for more efficient, transparent reporting") to help Black youth and entrepreneurs develop their skills and find opportunities. Among the most ambitious is the 10,000 Black Interns, which [launched last year with an initial commitment to place 100 young people and quickly grew to encompass more than 700 companies in 24 business sectors](https://www.financedigest.com/new-business-launches-to-support-it-professionalsfacing-mission-critcial-sector-challenges.html "NEW BUSINESS LAUNCHES TO SUPPORT IT PROFESSIONALSFACING MISSION CRITCIAL SECTOR CHALLENGES"). Out of the more than 500 interns placed so far, about 30% were [offered either a job or an extended](https://www.financedigest.com/tungsten-network-extends-analytics-offering-to-accounts-receivable.html "Tungsten Network extends analytics offering to accounts receivable") internship, said co-founder Dawid Konotey-Ahulu. All of the founders have found our WhatsApp or LinkedIn are literally blowing up every day with people just [saying ‘this is incredible and has changed](https://www.financedigest.com/financial-risks-of-climate-change-overplayed-senior-hsbc-banker-says.html "Financial risks of climate change overplayed, senior HSBC banker says") the game for me’,” he added. Many of those [launching such initiatives](https://www.financedigest.com/higher-education-institutions-launch-wonderwomen-initiative-to-celebrate-international-womens-week.html "Higher education institutions launch #WonderWomen initiative to celebrate International Women’s Week") said they had been driven to act by their own struggles to build a career path. As a young Black man myself, I remember when I was their age, and I didn’t have a mentor,” said David Wurie of Bright Exchange, a not-for-profit mentorship and [intern programme working](https://www.financedigest.com/trust-the-foundation-of-international-remote-working-culture.html "Trust: The foundation of international remote working culture") with 15- to 19-year olds. I wanted to [give back](https://www.financedigest.com/giving-the-control-of-the-payment-process-back-to-consumers.html "Giving the Control of the Payment Process Back to Consumers") based on what I missed out on. A lack of [senior Black staff in many top firms means](https://www.financedigest.com/senior-managers-regime-what-does-it-mean-for-the-industry.html "SENIOR MANAGERS REGIME – WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE INDUSTRY?") they are often perceived as “unapproachable” and not for them by Black youths, he said, while the companies themselves are generally unaware they have this image. Mentoring organisations said that [despite corporations pledging](https://www.financedigest.com/some-wounded-russian-soldiers-find-compensation-elusive-despite-putins-pledge-sources.html "Some wounded Russian soldiers find compensation elusive, despite Putin’s pledge – sources") to improve diversity, they should be doing more to actively reach out to minority and under-represented groups. However, a growing focus from investors on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) programmes is helping to provide vital funding, said Akil Benjamin, who [runs the Mentor Black Business](https://www.financedigest.com/4-signs-you-have-what-it-takes-to-run-a-business.html "4 Signs You Have What It Takes to Run a Business") programme for entrepreneurs of all ages. “I know that I fulfill and satisfy a large part of multinational organisations’ ESG pledges,” he said. There’s a [market need](https://www.financedigest.com/why-you-need-to-embrace-nostalgia-marketing-right-now.html "Why You Need to Embrace Nostalgia Marketing Right Now") for me now … Without that market imperative, I don’t think as many of these [programmes would be funded](https://www.financedigest.com/mercia-fund-management-partners-with-innovate-uk-on-the-investment-accelerator-programme.html "Mercia Fund Management partners with Innovate UK on the Investment Accelerator programme") or delivering. UNEQUAL [PLAYING FIELD’](https://www.financedigest.com/using-agility-to-resist-economic-instability-and-level-the-playing-field.html "Using agility to resist economic instability and level the playing field") While mentoring initiatives are aiming to help individuals get a foot in the door, some activists are pushing for more transparency over pay and progression. If there was an equal [playing field](https://www.financedigest.com/open-banking-levels-the-playing-field-for-smes-and-brings-hope-of-a-better-future-for-financial-services.html "Open Banking Levels the Playing Field for SMEs and Brings Hope of a Better Future for financial services"), there’d be a lot more Black, Asian and ethnic minorities at the top, because we are equally intelligent as white people,” said Dianne Greyson, founder of the Ethnicity Pay Gap Campaign. You’re structurally putting [challenges in people’s way](https://www.financedigest.com/bank-of-the-future-challengers-leading-the-way-to-cloud-adoption.html "Bank of the future – challengers leading the way to cloud adoption") so they’re not promoted. The campaign tracks companies that voluntarily share their ethnicity pay gap, and is also calling for the government to compel [firms to share the data](https://www.financedigest.com/sterling-holds-firm-after-uk-jobs-data-muddies-rate-outlook.html "Sterling holds firm after UK jobs data muddies rate outlook"). It’s more than just a [financial issue](https://www.financedigest.com/how-the-financial-services-industry-can-solve-the-issue-of-vulnerable-code.html "How the financial services industry can solve the issue of vulnerable code"), it’s a human rights issue. Everybody should be treated fairly,” said Greyson. (Reporting by Sonia Elks @soniaelks; Editing by Helen Popper. 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