The Powerlist 2025 ranked Dean Forbes, CEO of software solutions company Forterro, at the top, surpassing executives in the food, banking, and fashion industries.
According to its website, Forterro is worth £1.7 billion and provides “highly specialised software products and services designed to help industrial businesses strengthen operations and accelerate growth.”
The Powerlist, in collaboration with JP Morgan, honors the most influential African, African Caribbean, and African American individuals in the United Kingdom.
Former editor-in-chief of British Vogue Edward Enninful won last year, while former children’s laureate Malorie Blackman and seven-time Formula One world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton also topped the list.
Adejoke Bakare, the first black woman in the UK to receive a Michelin star, and Emma Grede, a founding partner in Kim Kardashian’s Skims clothing line, are both in the top 10.
In an effort to motivate young people, the Powerlist was established in 2005 to highlight black role models.
