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#tbsa2026

The Black Scottish Awards

  • Hilton, Glasgow - 27th Sept 2026 (6:00PM)
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Now in its fourth edition, The Black Scottish Awards is a powerful celebration of excellence, diversity, and achievement within Scotland’s Black community and ally communities.

Created to honour the outstanding contributions of individuals, businesses, and organisations, it shines a light on the voices, stories, and successes that continue to inspire across all fields.

#TBSA2025 Highlights

Meet the 2025 Awardees

Frama Aboh

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Professional Senior Leader of the Year

Helene Rodger

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DIVERSITY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR

Dr Olushola Ajide

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Sustainability Champion of the Year Winner

Matugga Distillers

Matugga Distillers (1)

Business of Excellence of the Year

Babatunde Emmanuel Adetutu

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PROFESSIONAL RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

Andrew Leaver

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ALLY OF THE YEAR

Passion4Fusion

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Passion4Fusion

COMMUNITY ORGANISATION OF THE YEAR

Fatima Ceesay Lopez

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Professor Sir Geoff Palmer Outstanding Student of The Year

Joy Kelikume Oziomaaka

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CREATIVE OF THE YEAR

Heather Lydia Mudhari

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Outstanding Contribution to the Black Community

Thanks to the

2025 Sponsors

Headline Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Rspb

thanks to the

2025 Judging Panel

Prof. Sir Geoff Palmer Outstanding Student of the Year Awardee, TBSA 2024

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Fatima Ceesay Lopez

Executive Director, British Basketball Federation

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Kieron-Achara

Kieron Achara

Head of Communications, Sports Scotland

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Kate Mccheyne

Kate McCheyne

Director at HR Hub Plus & Peridot Recruit

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ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 31 2023 Edward Obi who runs HR Hub Plus, and Aberdeen-based Human Resources consultancy. Edward has been recognised for his work in the Equality Diversion and Inclusion space, and he champions positive workplace culture. Photo by Ross Johnston/Newsline Media

Edward Obi

Councillor, Westhill & District, Aberdeenshire

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Cllr Fatima Joji

Cllr Fatima Joji

Programme Director, Glasgow City of Science and Innovation

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Susie Mitchell

Dr Susie Mitchell

Head of HR Operations at Scottish Enterprise

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All images © Sandy Young Photography Scottish Enterprise - staff images at Atrium Court, Glasgow Web: www.scottishphotographer.com Blog: sandyyoungphotography.wordpress.com Mail: sandy@scottishphotographer.com Tel: 07970 268944 ***Credit should read Sandy Young/scottishphotographer.com***

Pauline Murphy

Creator/Founder, Jambo! Radio Scotland

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George Tah

George Tah

Our goal is to encourage a nomination process that is open, equitable, and user-friendly for all parties involved. While we appreciate and encourage multiple nominations across various categories, we kindly request that you nominate only qualified and deserving candidates, as our judging panel will carefully assess each submission.
Additionally, we kindly ask that you currently reside in Scotland and limit your nominations to candidates based in Scotland.

Award Categories

This award is open to non-Black individuals powering diversity for the benefit of Black people in Scotland. They need to demonstrate that they are advocates and have stood in the gap for Black people. The individual must be in employment and be doing this amazing work from within their employment.

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Is the person you are nominating primarily Scotland-based?

    Nominee's Primary Location (City/Town)

    Nominee's Employment Level

    A LITTLE ABOUT YOU

    How did you hear about The Black Scottish Awards?

    Despite facing greater challenges in accessing funding compared to the general Scottish population, we are witnessing a rise in Black-owned businesses across the country. This award is open to Black-owned businesses currently operating in Scotland and aims to celebrate those that have demonstrated growth or strong potential for expansion.

    More than just business success, this award recognises organisations where employees consider it a great place to work and where the business has a positive social impact within its community.

    Additionally, this award is open to businesses founded by majorly or equally Black individuals who have operated since at least 2000. It seeks to honour businesses that are thriving and making meaningful contributions to their industry and society.

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    Is the business you are nominating primarily Scotland-based?

      Nominee's Primary Location (City/Town)

      How many employees does nominee have including directors/owners

      A LITTLE ABOUT YOU

      How did you hear about The Black Scottish Awards?

      As the population of Black people continues to grow in Scotland, we are seeing a rise in community-centred organisation providing various bespoke support to their members. This award is open to any Black-owned community organisation whose sole purpose is to support Black people in Scotland. The award wants to recognise an organisation which is making significant impact in the community and which has shown continuous growth since inception.

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      Is the organisation you are nominating primarily Scotland-based?

        Nominee's Primary Location (City/Town)

        How many employees does nominee have including directors/owners?l

        A LITTLE ABOUT YOU

        How did you hear about The Black Scottish Awards?

        This award is open to any Black individual who is in the creative space including music, arts, fashion, writing etc. The nominee would have achieved noteworthy success in the year in their field and be a role model to younger folks.

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        Is the person you are nominating primarily Scotland-based?

          Nominee's Primary Location (City/Town)


          A LITTLE ABOUT YOU

          How did you hear about The Black Scottish Awards?

          This award is open to any Black individual who is powering diversity for the benefit of Black people living in Scotland. They need to demonstrate that they are advocates and have looked beyond self to ensure Black people continue to get fair opportunities in Scotland. The individual must be in employment and be doing this amazing work from within their employment.

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          Is the person you are nominating primarily Scotland-based?

            Nominee's Primary Location (City/Town)

            Nominee's Employment Level

            A LITTLE ABOUT YOU

            How did you hear about The Black Scottish Awards?

            There are thousands of Black students across Scottish universities and colleges with many of them achieving academic excellence. This award is open to individuals in their final year of higher education or who graduated after 2023. The award wants to recognise those who shine above all, those who have achieved academic excellence and also supported their peers and are a major value add to their universities/colleges.

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            Is the person you are nominating primarily Scotland-based?

              Nominee's Primary Location (City/Town)

              Nominee's School Year

              A LITTLE ABOUT YOU

              How did you hear about The Black Scottish Awards?

              This award is open to any Black individual who is showing promise early on in their career. They would have achieved some successes which could include a promotion, setting up internal initiatives etc.

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              Is the person you are nominating primarily Scotland-based?

                Nominee's Primary Location (City/Town)

                Nominee's Employment Level

                A LITTLE ABOUT YOU

                How did you hear about The Black Scottish Awards?

                This award is open to any Black individual who has achieved significant success in their career. They would be a leader within their field and be in a senior role within their organisation.

                Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
                Is the person you are nominating primarily Scotland-based?

                  Nominee's Primary Location (City/Town)

                  Nominee's Employment Level

                  A LITTLE ABOUT YOU

                  How did you hear about The Black Scottish Awards?

                  This award is open to any Black individual within the Black community who has demonstrated a strong track record of uplifting members of the community and acted to contribute to the development of the community. This could be in academics, business, politics, career, sports or any other relevant area. An example or examples of how the individual has demonstrated this will be required in the justification below.

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                  Is the person you are nominating primarily Scotland-based?

                    Nominee's Primary Location (City/Town)


                    A LITTLE ABOUT YOU

                    How did you hear about The Black Scottish Awards?

                    We are seeing an increase in the participation of Black people in sports across the country. This award is open to any Black sportsperson aged 16 or over. The award wants to recognise the sportsperson who has shown exceptionality or who shows future promise based on past and recent performance.

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                    Is the person you are nominating primarily Scotland-based?

                      Nominee's Primary Location (City/Town)

                      Have they won any trophies in their sport?

                      A LITTLE ABOUT YOU

                      How did you hear about The Black Scottish Awards?

                      This award is open to any Black individual who has demonstrated exceptional initiative and unwavering commitment to advancing sustainability practices. They should have made a significant and measurable impact within their organisation, community, or industry.

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                      Is the person you are nominating primarily Scotland-based?

                        Nominee's Primary Location (City/Town)

                        Nominee's Employment Level

                        A LITTLE ABOUT YOU

                        How did you hear about The Black Scottish Awards?

                        This award is open to any young Black person who is between the ages of 11 and 17 years. They should demonstrate a commitment to contributing to society, supporting their peers, and acting as a role model for other young people.This award is open to any young person who is not currently enrolled in a university or at an equivalent educational level. They should demonstrate a commitment to contributing to society, supporting their peers, and acting as a role model for other young people.

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                        Is the person you are nominating primarily Scotland-based?

                          Nominee's Primary Location (City/Town)

                          Nominee's Academic Level

                          A LITTLE ABOUT YOU

                          How did you hear about The Black Scottish Awards?

                          Thank you for your interest in #TBSA2024.
                          The provided form indicates your interest to reach out for the following reasons.

                          • Interested in Tickets for Guests
                          • Interested in Support & Sponsorships
                          • Interested in General Enquiries

                            Chizulum Ifezulike

                            As a University of Strathclyde Economics student, Chizulum is on track for a 1st Class. Due to her commitment to academic excellence, she was recognised as one of the top economics students and recently won 1st place in the Adam Smith's National Student Book Cover Competition. She is using her influence and reach to empower her peers through various initiatives, and tapping into the power of social media to create engaging content to support the younger generations. Chizulum’s incredible story started with being born with hearing loss and dealing with speech impairments. Nevertheless, she has used these challenges as an inspiration and wants every young person out there to know that their situation should never define their destination.

                            LinkedIn

                            Thank you for your interest in becoming a sponsor of #TBSA2026.
                            Please fill and submit the form provided.

                              Frama Aboh

                              In early 2022, Frama spearheaded a bespoke solution to strengthen the pipeline of Black talent in BNY's Edinburgh office by collaborating with Black Professionals United Kingdom, successfully onboarding them and increasing Black employee representation. She organised and led various initiatives, including the "Steps to Success" insight day and BNY’s participation in the #IAmBlack Conference, which resulted in a growing pipeline of Black talent and increased sponsorship of Black community events. By fostering honest conversations, educating colleagues, and building networks, Frama has successfully driven diversity and inclusion efforts within the organisation.

                              LinkedIn

                              Helene Rodger

                              Helene's leadership is centred on serving the Black and brown community in Scotland by creating inclusive spaces, organising cultural events, and advocating for systemic change. Her key successes include engaging with the Scottish Parliament and 10 Downing Street, reuniting families from the care system, and supporting young people in STEM to achieve national awards. Helene builds relationships with non-Black allies through collaborations with Iriss, The Promise, and Lloyds Banking Group to drive impactful change and enhance support for diverse communities.

                              LinkedIn

                              Olushola Ajide

                              Olushola's passion for sustainability was ignited in Ajegunle, Lagos, where early encounters with nature and environmental degradation shaped his commitment. Observing the severe impacts of oil exploitation in the Niger Delta and engaging with the Nigerian Environmental Society, he established the NESUK chapter and advocated for sustainable practices in major projects such as the Aberdeen South Harbour. His leadership and advocacy in sustainability have inspired others through personal example, educational initiatives, and collaborative projects, resulting in significant community impact and fostering a culture of environmental stewardship.

                              LinkedIn

                              Babatunde Emmanuel Adetutu

                              In two years with the NHS board, Babatunde was promoted three times and led the creation of a pioneering rural credentials programme endorsed by the Scottish government. As HR team lead, he reduced hospital waiting lists by 15% through rapid international doctor recruitment. Babatunde also founded Glow Impact CIC to train disadvantaged youth in digital skills and created a mentorship platform for over 5,200 immigrants, reflecting his commitment to empowering individuals and communities.

                              LinkedIn

                              Andrew Leaver

                              Upon taking on the role of leading the Talent Acquisition team at CRL in November 2021, a significant diversity gap and a limited focus on DE&I, particularly in terms of inclusivity, were observed. Collaborating with Enoch and BPS, funding was secured for initiatives such as BIAS Awareness training, leading to an increase in Black representation from 3 to 21 employees and the creation of the African Ancestry ERG in Edinburgh. Moving into a regional position, the goal is to extend these initiatives across all 13 CRL sites.

                              LinkedIn

                              Passion4Fusion

                              Since its founding in 2014, Passion4Fusion has experienced remarkable growth, with staff numbers increasing from 2 to 14. The organisation now supports over 250 children and young people each week across four locations in Edinburgh and assists 25 low-income parents in securing employment. Its weekly men's mental health project, collaborations with various organisations, and efforts to reunite children with their families demonstrate its commitment to empowering diverse ethnic minorities and expanding community support.

                              LinkedIn

                              Fatima Ceesay Lopez

                              During her graduate apprenticeship with the University of Strathclyde and JP Morgan, Fatima has actively promoted tech careers among underrepresented youth and volunteered with initiatives such as Sci4Us and the Code for Good Virtual Hackathon. She also leads BOLD Glasgow, organising events to enhance inclusivity, and has been instrumental in celebrating Black History Month and other diversity initiatives. Her personal journey, marked by overcoming severe physical challenges, has driven her commitment to support and inclusivity in the tech industry.

                              LinkedIn

                              Joy Kelikume Oziomaaka

                              Transitioning from a corporate role at Chevron Nigeria to founding Kelikume Fashion and Styling, Joy encountered numerous challenges, including financial constraints and industry scepticism. Despite these obstacles, her passion for fashion and African heritage led her to success, highlighted by a standout debut at London Fashion Week and winning the Global Talent in Fashion award. This year has seen significant achievements, including a successful online retail launch and a high-profile event in Aberdeen, which have solidified her brand’s presence in the international fashion industry.

                              LinkedIn

                              Heather Lydia Mudhari

                              In 2019, Heather became the first Black Honorary Consul in Scotland and founded ZIMSCOT to provide essential services to the diaspora. She also launched Zimbabwe House Scotland in 2022 as a cultural and community hub, and in 2024, initiated the Climate Exchange project to promote environmental action. Her advocacy includes being the only Black Head of a Climate Chamber, speaking at high-profile events, and driving community engagement in climate initiatives.

                              LinkedIn