Westminster hosts empowering panel event on Being a Black Female Leader

Students, colleagues and members of the public gathered at the University of Westminster for an empowering evening. In conversation with Dr La Toya Quamina, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Westminster Business School, Natalie Campbell MBE, and Westminster Master of Business Administration (MBA) alumnus Professor Miranda Brawn shared their challenges and successes to empower others to reach their potential.  

Westminster’s Chancellor Natalie Campbell MBE is an award-winning social entrepreneur, broadcaster and was the Co-CEO of Belu Water, an ethical drinks business that puts people and the environment first. To date, Belu has given WaterAid over £6.1m to bring clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to everyone, everywhere.  

Since being named as Chancellor in 2022, Campbell has implemented a flagship initiative called the Chancellor's Circle to create a bridge between businesses across London and the student community. Earlier this year, Campbell was announced as Chair of The Workforce Development Trust, a charitable organisation committed to transforming workforce development across the UK and internationally.

Natalie Campbell MBE

Professor Brawn is a portfolio board director, chair, advisor, philanthropist, social entrepreneur, creator and host of The D.A.R.E. Podcast, where she interviews global leaders and celebrities focused on successful mindsets. Her career began as one of the first women and people of colour on London's trading floor and today has a portfolio boardroom career as a Non-Executive Director and Chair to compliment her 30-plus year background as an investment banker, hedge fund sales trader and lawyer.  

Professor Brawn is also the Founder, President and CEO of The Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation (TMBDLF), which has had a global impact of supporting over 100,000 young leaders since launching ten years ago. In 2025, she launched The Brawn Review: Boardroom Sustainability, Inclusion and Governance in the UK House of Lords, which provided 50 recommendations across all diversity strands and sectors.  

The panel shared that having a strong sense of agency enabled them to network effectively, and they discussed how family support and positive role models were influential in shaping their identities. As Black women working in male-dominated environments, they learnt to handle power and develop the courage to connect with powerful leaders. Both speakers reflected on how their experiences in the retail industry had prepared them to identify sponsorship opportunities.  

To conclude, they reflected on the importance of self-care by taking time out to ‘pause’. Travelling and digitally-detoxing were described as essential actions for creating space to refresh their strategies and maintain good health and well-being, especially when working in fast-paced environments.  

The discussion was followed by a Q&A session, which provided a safe space for attendees to learn, network and make connections to develop their careers. This forms a key ambition of Zone29, the University’s new home for careers and enterprise due to open in Spring 2026, which connects students from all backgrounds with industry professionals to build the confidence and networks they need to succeed.  

This event was organised as part of Westminster’s Black History Year initiative, an innovative programme which celebrates Black history, stories, lives, politics, creativity and achievements all year round.  

About the event Dr Deborah Husbands, Reader in Psychology , Lead for the Black History Year Programme and Co-Chair of the University's Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Colleague Network and EDI Committee, said: "It was a pleasure to spend an evening listening to powerful Black women sharing their journeys of overcoming resistance to become successful leaders and role models in their field and beyond. Audience feedback attested to the benefit of an environment fuelled by inspirational insights for women from diverse backgrounds and across the lifespan, with many calling for a part two. This event marks the continuation of high-quality events produced and managed by the Black History Year programme."  

This event and the University’s Black History Year programme directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, 10: Reduced Inequalities and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.

Find out more about the University of Westminster’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.