Page 11 - Powerlist 2020

Welcome to the

Powerlist 2020

f I had to give this edition of the Sonita Alleyne is someone who
Powerlist a theme, it would be knows all about building her own
I“the march of the people not table. When she was in her 20s, she
prepared to wait for a seat – instead turned the disappointment of losing
they built their own table”. her job into a triumph by setting
Our Powerlistees have always up her own media production
been exceptional women and men company – which developed into
who excel in their own disciplines. the world’s first retail radio station.
Several years later it became the
But increasingly for many, getting largest syndicator of radio shows
to the top isn’t enough and they are in the UK outside of the BBC.
tangibly creating their own powerful
Her story could have ended
EVA SIMPSON legacies. there and she would still have been
EDITOR You’ll see this time and time incredible enough to become a
again as you leaf through the Powerlistee. But it doesn’t. This year
pages of the Powerlist 2020 and, Sonita became the first woman to
as always, it’s an honour to tell their
incredible stories. lead Jesus College Cambridge in its
500-year history and the first black
Take for example the Powerlist head of an Oxbridge college. A fact
2019 number one Ric Lewis, even more incredible when you
Powerlistee Eric Collins and consider that 41 years ago, Jesus
Powerlist Hall of Famer Dame Vivian College didn’t even let women in.
Hunt. They, along with several
others, co-founded a first-of-its- Speaking of education, I’m
kind venture capital firm, Impact thrilled to have an interview
X, which plans to invest £100m with Lemn Sissay – poet, author
in entrepreneurs who tend to be and Chancellor of Manchester
overlooked by investors – namely University. A wonderful writer with
women and black people. a heartbreaking personal history, his
guiding principle, “I am not defined
Then there’s Ismail Ahmed, by my scars but by my incredible
founder of multi-million-pound ability to heal” is truly inspirational.
fintech success story WorldRemit.
If you’re one of the thousands of As well as our interviews, this year
people who send money back for the first time we have introduced
home, you will no doubt have a travel section which takes us from
heard of or used it. Ismail, who fled St Lucia to Palma.
the civil war in his home country
Somaliland, launched the company And we take a look at the
to make money transfers quicker exciting developments in Ghana
and cheaper. He’s now taking on including its year-long campaign,
the established players in a market “The Year of Return”.
that’s worth, according to the World As ever, huge thanks to the team
Bank, not far off $700bn. for creating something we can be
He took time out to share his story truly proud of.
and some of the lessons he’s learned
along the way. Enjoy reading.

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