Celebrating the 2026 Empower Top 100 Future Leaders

The INvolve's Top 100 Future Leaders list on Empower is a powerful reminder that change is being driven from every corner of business – from front‑line engineering and product roles to HR, risk, marketing, and beyond. These leaders are not only excelling in their day jobs; they are building networks, re‑designing systems, and creating workplaces where people of colour can thrive.

myGwork is proud to celebrate all of this year’s Future Leaders – and we are especially delighted to recognise the many honourees working at organisations that partner with our platform. Together, they show what it looks like when inclusive cultures are backed by real action, investment and accountability.

Below are the Future Leaders from our partners who have been recognised this year, and the ways they are transforming workplaces and communities around the world.

BBC

• Edward Odofin, Global Business Resilience Lead – Founder of EMERGE: The ERG Community, Edward is connecting almost 500 Black ERG leaders across 150+ organisations and embedding sustainable, cross‑industry collaboration on race equity.
• Michaela Johnson, Project Coordinator – Through BBC Embrace, Michaela has strengthened internal networks and used her visibility at external events to inspire the next generation of Black media talent.

Capgemini

• Tokeer Ahmed, Head of Salesforce Transformation – A driving force behind Capgemini’s UK Ethnicity Plan and Co‑Founder of CulturALL, uniting 18 culture and ethnicity networks across 50+ countries to turn awareness into measurable change.

Johnson Matthey

• Maciah Smith, Open Innovation and Roadmapping Analyst – As UK Co‑Chair of the Black Employee Network, Maciah has secured executive sponsorship, grown engagement, and opened STEM pathways for underrepresented young people.

WPP Media

• Bonita Samuels, Inclusive Planning Client Lead – Senior Associate Director – Bonita is proving the commercial power of community and Black‑ and Brown‑owned media, while co‑leading Mosaic to grow diverse talent and change policy.
• Ronah Pulle, WPP Media Black Employee Network Lead – Ronah has expanded access and visibility for Black colleagues, securing development opportunities and building Cultra Collective to help women and founders own their stories.

Vodafone

• Kayode Falana, Security Assurance Manager – From institutionalising Black History Month at ISACA London to strengthening Vodafone’s Black Professionals Network, Kayode is advancing digital trust and inclusive leadership across regions.

BAE Systems

• Catherine Taylor, HR Manager – Co‑founder of the Black HR Professionals Network, Catherine is dismantling the “lonely experience” of being a person of colour in HR through mentoring, community‑building and confidence‑building programmes.

Warner Bros. Discovery

• Maïté Bikenge, Senior Privacy Analyst – Through BOLD UK and community partnerships, Maïté is creating safe spaces for Black employees, opening doors for underrepresented students, and preserving Congolese heritage through Loba Lingala.

Merck

• Harjeet Virdi, Director – Research IT, Merck Animal Health – Harjeet has used global leadership roles to increase representation in IT, champion interfaith and women’s networks, and build inclusive community infrastructure from schools to local government.

MSD

• Jennifer Dominic, Associate Director of Sales – Oncology (MSD UK) – As Global Co‑Lead of LEAD, Jennifer has doubled the network’s global reach, tied ERG insight to clinical trial diversity, and founded Wenite to widen access to STEM careers for thousands.

Accenture

• Yetunde Animashaun, User Researcher – Founder of Tech432, Yetunde has already supported 300+ young people from underrepresented communities into tech, while championing inclusive research practices in public‑service design.

E.ON Next

• Nicola Dormer, Customer Experience Designer – As Chair of embRace, Nicola has grown E.ON’s largest ERG, launched the first ethnic‑minority career development programme (driving a 5% uplift in promotions) and secured global executive sponsorship.

Fitch Group

• Melissa Cloquet, Director, Product Strategy (Fitch Solutions) – Melissa’s leadership of the EMBRACE Network has amplified underrepresented voices across Fitch, while her external mentoring and youth work are building the next generation of diverse financial leaders.

Arup

• Hari Patel, Senior Engineer – Community & Allies Lead for ConnectRace, Hari is pioneering creative engagement, psychologically safe spaces, and self‑advocacy for ethnically diverse colleagues.
• Rachel Taylor, Director & UKIMEA Fire Practice Leader – Rachel combines technical leadership of a 140‑strong team with her role as Culture, Equity and Inclusion Champion, embedding inclusive leadership and sponsorship across Arup’s South geography.

Deutsche Bank

• Chris Murray, Data Transformation Director – As Co‑Chair of dbENRICH and founder of the Black Leadership Forum, Chris has built one of the bank’s largest inclusion networks and created tools and partnerships that improve access to finance careers.
• Prasad Hattikudur, C&AFC COO – Prasad has led award‑winning inclusion initiatives in banking and through InterBank, using data, listening and community‑building to strengthen representation and psychological safety.

JTI

• Masud Ameen, Business Advisor – Masud relaunched Enlighten & Embrace, championed flexible bank holidays to honour cultural and religious events, and embedded data‑driven DEI activity across the business.
• Ancel Hull, Field Manager – As Global Co‑Chair of EMBRACE, Ancel’s work on racial literacy and the “Privilege Walk” has helped colleagues understand lived experience and translate empathy into everyday inclusive behaviours.

Marsh

• Rose Fredua, Senior Manager – Co‑Lead of the Global Black Tech Network, Rose has built a structured mentoring and development hub that is transforming attraction, retention and progression for Black technologists across Marsh.

S&P Global

• Savannah Adams, Senior Manager – Alongside leading C‑suite energy content, Savannah is a convenor of Black talent in the City, co‑chairing CBERG and shaping inclusion through S&P Global’s BOLD PRG and Black in the Square Mile.

Santander

• Jeffrey Krampah‑Williams, National Key Account Manager – Jeffrey’s leadership of the Santander Black ERG and BMPAN has grown awareness, allyship and tangible support for colleagues of colour across the bank, while mentoring future leaders.

State Street

• Olanike Bamodu, Business Risk Adviser – As Chair of the UK REACH Network, Olanike has created psychologically safe spaces, strengthened progression for underrepresented colleagues and extended her impact through employability work with East London Business Alliance.

Kantar

• Joanne Ballecer, Lead, Early Careers & Apprenticeships – Joanne has redesigned access routes into Kantar by expanding apprenticeships, removing degree requirements and launching a virtual work experience programme for underrepresented 14–18‑year‑olds.

You can check out the full INvolve Empower Role Model list here.

On behalf of the myGwork community, we congratulate every individual named in the 2026 empower Top 100 Future Leaders list. Your work is challenging outdated norms, opening doors for those who come next and redefining what leadership looks like in a diverse, global economy.

To our partner organisations whose people feature so prominently this year: thank you for backing these leaders, resourcing their ideas and standing behind their vision of a more equitable world of work. myGwork looks forward to continuing to collaborate with you to amplify their impact, share best practice across our global network and support the next generation of Future Leaders building workplaces where everyone can belong.