Above, Donna Herdsman, winner of the lifetime achievement awards and The Baton Awards founder, Dr Diahanne Rhiney. Pictures: Savia Rocks
17 winners picked up awards for the part they’ve played in a variety of sectors, including charity, business, sport, media, emergency services and STEM, at The Baton Awards 2024. Hosts for the night at 11 Cavendish Square were podcast duo To My Sisters. South London ladies Courtney Daniella Boateng and Renee Kapuku presented under this year’s theme of Power In Solidarity.
It took place during 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, following the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the global movement hoping to #EndViolence against women and girls. The Baton Awards raises funds for children’s domestic abuse charity, Strength Within Me Foundation (S.W.I.M), a pioneering intervention to address the domestic abuse of young girls and women.
Founder of The Baton Awards, Dr Diahanne Rhiney, said: “Never has the global community been more polarised. Women from diverse ethnic backgrounds continue to be overlooked. Let’s pass the baton on together.”
The lifetime achievement award went to South London local, Donna Herdsman CMgr CCMI. Senior Client Partner of management consultancy Korn Ferry, she is also Head of DE&I
Consulting (EMEA).
She said: “I help clients navigate the landscape and business benefits associated with equality and equity, unleashing the potential of all to be their best self, especially as it relates to increasing diverse representation in the work place.”
On winning a Baton Award, she said: “The greatest gift is being appreciated for who you are, and that’s why I was so moved to receive an award.”
Herdsman has nearly 40 years’ experience in management consultancy, with senior leadership roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers, IBM and Hewlett Packard Enterprise on her CV.
Most notably, she presented to an EU forum on diversity in STEM across EMEA. Herdsman also worked with the Government of South Africa, led by Nelson Mandela, transforming services, and supporting the transfer of skills to enable the development and growth of local talent.
And the winners are….
Each category had two finalists and a winner
Creative Industry
o Remal Arif
o Selicia Richards-Turney
o Joginder Kang (WINNER)
Thought Leader of the Year
o Asavari Moon (WINNER)
o Bola Adesina
o Priya Guliani
Sportswoman of the Year
o Vanessa Wallace (WINNER)
o Sirayah Shiraz
o Gina Obeng
Against All Odds
o Carmen Wiltshire (WINNER)
o Elaine Hughes
o Kelly Thobekile Ncube
SEGEMENT 2
Excellence in Media
o Charlene Gravesande (WINNER)
o Jeevana Thavarajah
o Kamiqua Lake
Paulette Wilson Award Campaigner of the Year
o Chloe Davies
o Dr Anne Wafula Strike (WINNER)
o Dawn Heels
STEM Trailblazer
o Pamela Aculey
o Tolulope Owonibi
o Faith Ida (WINNER)
Emergency Services
o T/Commander Charmain Brenyah
o PC Stacia Traille (WINNER)
o JPC ustine Farrell
SEGEMENT 3
Professional Services
o Coleen Mensa
o Kizzy Augustin (WINNER)
o Wande Osuntokun
Victoria Joseph Award Services to Education Award
o Betty Joseph McIntosh
o Georgina Cox (WINNER)
o Karen Bryson
Political Figure
o Carol Ann Whitehead (WINNER)
o Natalie Gasson-McKinley
o Sharon Thompson
Allyship
o Professor Paul Morrison
o Sal Naseem FRSA
o Warren Stapley
o Tunji Akintokun MBE CCMI (WINNER)
o Richard DeNetto
SEGEMENT 4
Third Sector
o Eliza Rebeiro
o Lucy Nkwameni Njomo
o Olivia King-Boateng (WINNER)
Lord Hastings Integrity Award
o Julie Hammond
o Lydia Amoah
o Tanya Palmer (WINNER)
Outstanding Organisation in DEI
o JPMorganChase
16. Entrepreneur
o Dinah Williams
o Jayne Doherty (WINNER)
o Saira Arif
Lifetime Achievement Award
o Donna Herdsman, CMgr CCMI
2024 WINNERS LIST ONLY
1. Creative Industry – Joginder Kang (WINNER)
2. Thought Leader of the Year – Asavari Moon (WINNER)
3. Sportswoman of the Year – Vanessa Wallace (WINNER)
4. Against All Odds – Carmen Wiltshire (WINNER)
5. Excellence in Media – Charlene Gravesande (WINNER)
6. Paulette Wilson Award Campaigner of the Year – Dr Anne Wafula
Strike (WINNER)
7. STEM Trailblazer – Faith Ida (WINNER)
8. Emergency Services – Stacia Traille (WINNER)
9. Professional Services – Kizzy Augustin (WINNER)
10. Victoria Joseph Award Services to Education Award –
Georgina Cox (WINNER)
11. Political Figure – Carol Ann Whitehead (WINNER)
12. Allyship – Tunji Akintokun MBE CCMI (WINNER)
13. Third Sector – Olivia King-Boateng (WINNER)
14. Lord Hastings Integrity Award – Tanya Palmer (WINNER)
15. Outstanding Organisation in DEI – JPMorganChase
16. Entrepreneur – Jayne Doherty (WINNER)
17. Lifetime Achievement Award – Donna Headsman, CMgr CCMI (WINNER)
