By: Mohammed A. Abu
Joshua Siaw MBE who is of Ghanaian and British nationality and also a partner to White & Chase, UK, has been recognized by Powerlist 2024 as the sixth most influential Black person in the UK and the most influential in law.
This is the ninth consecutive year that he has been named to the Powerful Media’s publication which honors the 100 most influential Black people in Britain from a variety of industries, including law, business, academia, technology, sports and the arts.
Siaw, the youngest person on the Powerlist 2024 Top 10, joins other influential public leaders such as Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue Edward Enninful OBE, Bank of England CFO Afua Kyei and politician and activist Baron Woolley of Woodford..
From 2016 to present, Josh was named among Britain’s 100 most influential Black people by the Powerlist.
This year’s winners were selected for their “ability to positively alter events and change lives as demonstrated over a reasonable period of time” by an independent panel of judges.
“It is a privilege to have been highly ranked by the Powerlist. I am proud to be recognized alongside other influential role models whose leadership, achievements and community impact are an inspiration to people in the UK and abroad,” said Siaw.
Siaw as a Partner in White & Case’s Global Debt Finance Practice and director of the Firm’s Africa practice, Josh advises corporates, governments, banks and other financial institutions on some of the most ground breaking transaction across the region and makes him one of the most powerful commercial lawyers on the continent.
Additionally, he has begun his term as Co-Chair of the African Investors Group to which he was appointed in January, 2023.This group is responsible for steering and increasing the GBP15 billion worth of trade between the continent and the UK.
As a member of the Advisory Board of the African Investment Summit, Joshua is overseeing the UK Prime Minister’s upcoming Africa Investment Summit which will take place in London in 2024.
The Summit will bring together heads of States from 24 African countries with British and African business leaders, creating a platform to further boost trade and investments between the UK and Africa
Joshua has not always rubbed shoulders with Africa’s elite of Ghanaian descent, he grew up in one of South London’s most deprived areas and went to an inner-city state school. “It was quite challenging and my secondary school, at that time we had one of the worst records in the UK”, he said.
Therefore, launching the Siaw Foundation which provide academic scholarships and mentoring to disadvantaged students across the UK and Africa from Secondary through to university, holds a deep personal a deep personal significance”, Joshua intimated.
He is also an Ambassador for Mothers2Mothers(M2M), an NGO that employs women living with HIV in Africa as community health workers. Joshua as appointed MBE in 2020.
Honours from Non-Powerlist Sources
Marquis
He has also been listed in Marquis Who’s Who in the World 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 which features the most accomplished men and women from around the globe.
Euromoney
Joshua has been identified by Euromoney as “one of Africa’s Rising Stars,” the publication’s list of individuals and power brokers who are transforming the financial, investment and business landscape in Africa.
Forbes
Joshua has been named by Forbes as “one of Africa’s most influential young business leaders.”
African Union
Joshua has also been named a “Young Business Leader of the Year” by the African Union, and leading Africa-focused business publication
Africa Report
The Africa Report has recognized Joshua as “one of three individuals shaping Africa’s economic future.”
Major Honourable Engagements Track Record
He was selected in 2018 as the only lawyer to join Prime Minister Theresa May on her trade mission to Africa.
In 2019, he was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his services to the law, UK legal services and his contribution to UK trade and investment in Africa.
He is a member of the Global Britain Sub-Group of the UK Board of Trade and the UK government’s Africa Green Growth Advisory Council.
In 2018,he was selected as the only lawyer to join Prime Minister Theresa May on her trade mission to Africa.
In November 2018, Joshua was appointed as a member of the UK-Africa FinTech Investment Group, following the UK Prime Minister’s announcement of the formation of the UK-Africa FinTech Partnership.
In June 2019, Joshua was appointed to the Global Britain Sub Group of the UK Board of Trade, promoting the UK’s global trade and investment agenda with a focus on Africa.
In June 2019, Josh was appointed a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Her Majesty The Queen in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2019. He was recognized for his services to the law, UK legal services, and for his contribution to UK trade and investment in Africa.
In January 2020, following the announcement by Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the formation of the UK Africa Investors Group (“AIG”), he was appointed as a member of the AIG chaired by Her Majesty’s trade commissioner for Africa.
In April 2021, he was appointed to the U.K. Government’s Africa Green Growth Advisory Council which promotes sustainable economic development between the U.K. and Africa.
In 2021, Joshua was also appointed to the Advisory Council of the Queen’s Green Canopy Initiative which was recently established by His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales (as Patron) to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
The Powerlist is an annual publication that was first published in 2007 in a bid to provide professional role models for young people of African and Caribbean heritage.
Since then it has brought a number of people to prominence who were hitherto unknown and has created a network for influencers many of whom now have commercial relationship with one another and some of whom have become friends. The publication is rebranding Black Britain in many ways..
