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The MOBO Awards will soon be coming to Manchester for the first time – and now its founder Kanya King is speaking at an event designed to to inspire black businesswomen to become “unstoppable” in the workplace.

The Empowered to Lead one-day event at the Manchester Central Convention Complex on 18 October will see more than 600 black leaders from the public and private sectors gather for inspirational debates on how to boost diversity in the workplace and to encourage black women to push for top jobs.

The conference, billed as the largest of its kind in the North, has been organised during Black History Month by the social enterprise, She Leads for Legacy, which was founded by mother-daughter duo Sharon Amesu and Afiya Amesu. They say attendees will “learn from experienced multi award winning speakers and thought leaders who'll teach you insider secrets for accelerating your career and growing your business”.

Other speakers will include award-winning diversity advocate, Cynthia V Davis CBE, and former investment banker, Ayesha Ofori.

Barristers Sharon and Afiya set up She Leads for Legacy, following their own experiences in the legal sector, to help remove barriers that prevent black women from taking senior leadership or board positions.

that more than three in 10 black and minority ethnic (BME) women reported being unfairly passed over for or denied a promotion at work, while showed black women in business have to take “greater career risks” to succeed.

Sharon said: “The 2025 She Leads for Legacy: Empowered to Lead will be a must-see event for Black female leaders, employees, employers and allies.

“Each year we’ve hosted we’ve grown in numbers and 2025 is set to be unstoppable – both in its theme and its reach.