Rasen area businesswoman recognised for achievements

Sandra Murphy is one of three contenders for The Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards) Consumer and Luxury Leader of the Year, where she faces stiff competition from national contenders.

The founder and managing director of Equidiet UK Ltd, Sandra was the first black female to have gained a European Patent in the UK and is delighted to now be named in the short list for the BBBAwards.

She said: “It is extremely exciting and humbling to be announced as a 2020 Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards) finalist.

“Being a black female in the mainly white, male-dominated equine feed industry has been difficult, but I have worked incredibly hard over the last seven years to try and get my achievements and my business recognised. Awards programmes such as the BBBAwards are vital for accessing and creating a platform for black talent that exists all around the UK and not just in London, and it feels fantastic to be recognised in this cohort.”

No stranger to awards, last year Sandra was named the Entrepreneur of the year by the English Veterans and received the Legend Award 2019 for contribution to the community and humanity, given by Trinidad and Tobago Friends UK.

Passionate about horses from a young age, Sandra became one of the top riders and competitors for the Royal Air Force and was a founding member of the Joint Services Equitation centre during her 12 years of service. Since creating Equidiet, she has worked tirelessly to expand her revolutionary brand using local suppliers and manufacturing in Lincolnshire, producing multiple hydration systems for horses which have gained high recognition within the equine industry.

Organisers of the BBBAwards say this year’s finalists have been selected not only for their outstanding personal and professional achievements, but against the tumultuous backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Melanie Eusebe and Sophie Chandauka, co-founders of the awards said: “This year’s finalists are some of the most determined and innovative black leaders in the UK.

“What particularly shines through is the variety of professions; from a founder of a revolutionary equine nutrition system to a book publisher and managing directors at top financial corporations.

“These exceptional individuals should be extremely proud of their achievements, they are inspiring the next generation of black talent to challenge convention and follow in their footsteps. We wish them the very best of luck”.

Winners for each category, as well as the Black British Business Person of the Year will be revealed at the Black British Business Awards Digital Ceremony taking place on October 30.

The BBBAwards is partnering with J.P. Morgan as Key Sponsor of the Awards.

Sponsors also include Barclays, Baker McKenzie, Bloomberg L.P., Cisco, the Executive Leadership Council, Facebook, Fortnum and Mason, Freshfields, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Wellington, and Wells Fargo.

The 2020 BBBAwards honours outstanding business talent in six industry categories, celebrating both rising stars and senior leaders.

The finalists for the 2020 BBBAwards are as follows:

Arts & Media Rising Star

· Magdalene Abraha – Publisher at Jacaranda Books

· Malakaï Sargeant – Director of Theatre Peckham

· Nnena Nwakodo – Producer at Bartle Bogle Hegarty

Arts & Media Leader of the Year

· Anthony Andrews – Co-founder and Creative Director of We Are Parable

· Denise Maxwell – Director and Lead Photographer at Lensi Photography

· Gail Babb – Lecturer/Deputy Director of BA Performance at Goldsmith University

Consumer & Luxury Rising Star

· Ire Hassan-Odukale – Managing Director at Ikoyi

· Rachael Corson and Joycelyn Mate – Co-founders of Afrocenchix

· Sarah-Jane Bampoe-Addo – Senior Program Manager at Amazon

Consumer & Luxury Leader of the Year

· Brandie Deignan – Managing Director at Marco Pierre White Restaurants

· Nigel Olusegun Ogunniyi and Victoria I. Ogunniyi – Co-founders of FAVOUR Catering and Events

· Sandra Murphy – Founder of Equidiet UK Ltd

Entrepreneur Rising Star

· Ayesha Ofori – CEO and Founder of Black Property Network

· Izzy Obeng – Founder of Foundervine

· Wilfred Fianko, Stephen Boakye and Peter Olowe – Co-founders of Cornerstone Partners

Entrepreneur Leader of the Year

· Julia Senah – Clinical Director of Almond Care Limited

· Sanmi Adegoke – CEO of Rehoboth Property International

· Trevor Robinson OBE – Founder and Executive Creative Director of Quiet Storm

Financial Services Rising Star

· Lewis Sinclair Parry – Associate of Rothschild & Co

· Mariolla Baffour – Vice President, Securities Division of Goldman Sachs

· Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy – Digital Product Manager at Barclays

Financial Services Leader of the Year

· Anulika Ajufo – Head of Investments (Africa and Middle East) and Global Head of Investment Consulting, The Sagana Group

· Gavin Lewis – Managing Director, Head of UK LGPS at BlackRock

· Kene Ejikeme – Managing Director, Securities Division at Goldman Sachs

Professional Services Rising Star

· Alex Alleyne – Strategic Sales Lead at Twilio and Growth IQ

· Anthony Ojukwu – Associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP

· Natalie A Carter – Senior Associate at Greenberg Traurig LLP

Professional Services Leader of the Year

· Bennard Owusu – Senior Partner BWF Solicitors

· Nnenna Ilomechina – Managing Director and Partner, Strategy, Communications, Media, Tech at Accenture

· Segun Osuntokun – London Office Managing Partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

STEM Rising Star

· Frida Nzaba – Advanced Manufacturing Engineer at Rolls-Royce Plc

· Georgia Thompson – Design Coordinater at BAM Nuttall Ltd

· Ninarita Williams – Project Manager at Transport for London

STEM Leader of the Year

· Dr Abdullahi Sheriff - Executive, Solutions Strategy, Strategic Partnerships & Solutions, Europe at GE Healthcare

· Cecil Peters - Executive Director, J.P.Morgan

· Obum Ekeke - Global Lead, University Relations & Educational Partnerships at DeepMind

· Rachael Palmer - Head of VC and Startup Partnerships, EMEA at Google