There’s something deeply personal about the kind of research that chooses you before you choose it.
As I begin my Doctorate in Business Administration, I’ve decided to explore a topic that sits at the very heart of both my professional experience and my personal truth: the systemic barriers—and possible enablers—faced by minority ethnic women aspiring to executive leadership roles in the NHS.
I’ve spent over two decades in leadership, coaching, and organisational strategy. Today, I serve as Chief People & Culture Officer at a large NHS mental health trust. I’ve also been called a mentor, a champion for inclusion, and more recently, the 2024 Black Talent Awards Senior Leader of the Year. But behind every accolade lies a quieter story—one of persistent resilience, careful navigation, and unspoken questions. Why do so many talented minority ethnic women fall off the leadership pipeline? What is it about our systems that still fail to carry them through to the boardroom?
This isn’t just research—it’s a reckoning.
The Story Behind the Study
My father, a Black man who came to the UK in the 1960s to study, eventually returned to Nigeria to find the career opportunities he was denied here. Decades later, I entered the UK workforce, highly qualified but only shortlisted once I applied through blind recruitment. Even now, in executive spaces, I’m not unfamiliar with questions about whether I’m a “diversity hire.”
These experiences aren’t isolated. They’re systemic. And that’s why this research matters.
What I’m Exploring
My research focuses on understanding the intersectional barriers that women from minority ethnic backgrounds face in rising to board-level roles in the NHS. Intersectionality—first introduced by Kimberlé Crenshaw—recognises that our identities don’t exist in isolation. Race, gender, age, and class all interact to shape our lived experiences. In leadership pathways, those intersections can create unique challenges that standard diversity initiatives often miss.
I also want to look at what works. What helped the few minority ethnic women who did make it to the boardroom? Were they supported by leadership programs, strong sponsorship, or sheer perseverance? And how many built their careers within the NHS versus arriving from other sectors, like I did?
Ultimately, this research asks three big questions:
1. What are the systemic and organisational barriers to leadership progression for minority ethnic women in the NHS?
2. Do current leadership development programmes actually help?
3. What can we learn from the women who’ve made it—and how can we make that path more accessible for others?
Why Now?
The data speaks volumes. Despite making up over 26% of the NHS workforce, only around 10% of executive board members are from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds—and even fewer are women. The higher up the ladder you look, the whiter and more male it becomes.
That’s not just a representation issue. It’s a leadership crisis. Because when our leadership doesn’t reflect our workforce or the communities we serve, we all lose.
What’s Next
This is the first in a series of reflections I’ll be sharing as the research unfolds. I hope it sparks interest, dialogue, and even some discomfort—because change rarely starts in comfort. Whether you’re a leader, an ally, or someone who’s been stuck between mid-level and the boardroom for too long, I invite you to join me on this journey.
Let’s name the barriers. Let’s uncover what works. And most importantly, let’s change the story.