When I joined my graduate scheme 30 years ago, I was the only person of colour in the room.

At the time, I didn’t think it was particularly unusual. Over the years, I climbed the corporate ladder, only to realise that my more elevated position came with pretty much the same view: still the only person of colour at the senior table. Different companies, different logos… same diversity scorecard.

Fast-forward to today, and the statistics are sobering. Between 5% and 10% of senior leaders in the UK are people of colour. Bearing in mind that around 20% of the UK population is ethnically diverse, as are 30% of UK-domiciled graduates, representation is still depressingly low.

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, my daughter, with all the gentle venom of a 17-year-old activist, asked me: “What have you actually done to improve things for people like you?”

Ouch. That landed.

I’d helped individuals along the way, sure. But had I moved the needle? If I’m honest, the answer was “not enough.”

That conversation lit a fuse. 18 months ago, I resigned as the CEO of a tech start-up and founded Elevate Colour, a social enterprise dedicated to increasing leadership representation for people of colour in the UK. Our mission is simple: help leaders of colour arrive, survive, and thrive in business. The idea is refreshingly straightforward: give talented, mid-level leaders the extra development they need, and watch them soar.

One of the most effective programmes I knew was Wavelength, run by Adrian and Jess. I asked them the obvious question: “How many people of colour have you had on the course?” Their answer was an echo from my own past; not enough.

We have to fix the pipeline. Elevate Colour works with organisations to build scaffolding so that talented people from minority backgrounds can compete on level terms. This isn’t about positive discrimination; it’s about spotting the hidden gems. It’s about finding that brilliant analyst or project manager and giving them the right opportunity, like a seat on Connect, to accelerate into leadership.

Why? Because development initiatives become richer when they are diverse. Wavelength is about escaping the echo chamber. If everyone in your cohort looks like you and thinks like you, you aren’t being challenged. More perspectives mean better discussions, sharper ideas, and fewer blind spots.

There is also the “practical impact” to consider. Courses like Connect give participants a ready-made network. For marginalised groups, networks aren’t just nice-to-have; they’re career rocket fuel. The right contact at the right moment can open doors no CV ever could.

Putting more people of colour on development courses benefits everyone. It strengthens the cohort, enriches the conversation, and builds the bridges that help underrepresented leaders not just survive the system, but thrive in it.

And as for my daughter? I like to think she’ll approve when she sees I’m finally making more than just a dent.