City of London chief tops UK Black Powerlist

Ian Thomas, the chief executive of the City of London Corporation, has been named the UK’s most influential Black Briton for 2027. The 57-year-old official, who became the first Black person to lead the Square Mile’s governing body in its 900-year history in 2022, topped this year’s Black Powerlist awards.

A Historic Leadership Tenure

Thomas’s career in public service spans more than three decades. Before his current position, he served as the chief executive of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, where he managed a £1.2bn regeneration programme. His background also includes a high-profile tenure as the strategic director for children and young people at Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, where he was appointed a CBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for his work transforming children’s services following the Rotherham abuse scandal.

The 2027 Black Powerlist Recognition

The annual Black Powerlist identifies the most influential individuals of African and Caribbean heritage across the United Kingdom. In naming Thomas to the top spot, the awards body described him as a respected public-service leader with over 30 years’ experience in local government. He succeeds last year’s top honoree, Bank of England chief financial officer Afua Kyei, and is joined in the top tier of this year’s list by Comfort Ero, the President and chief executive of the International Crisis Group.

The list, now in its 21st year, aims to highlight professional success stories for younger generations. It exists to show young people of African and Caribbean heritage what is possible, in fields they might never have considered, said Michael Eboda, the publisher of the list.

Lifetime Achievement for Comic Relief

The 2027 awards also honored comedian Sir Lenny Henry with a Lifetime Achievement award. This recognition highlights his role in co-founding Comic Relief, a charitable organization that has raised more than £1.6bn since 1985. Other notable figures recognized in this year’s top ten list include entrepreneurs Emma Grede and Steven Bartlett, as well as filmmaker Sir Idris Elba.