When we look around at the business world, we see Black entrepreneurs building extraordinary things every single day. Companies that span continents. Ideas that reshape industries. Families building the kind of generational wealth that changes destinies. And yet — so few of these stories are told. So few of these journeys are celebrated. So few of these lessons are shared.

That ends today.

BEI Magazine exists for one reason: to make visible the invisible. To celebrate the achievement. To share the knowledge. To create the opportunities. To encourage the collaboration. And to inspire the next generation to dream bigger than they ever thought possible.

In this inaugural issue we begin with a man most of the world has never heard of — yet his fingerprints are on some of the most significant infrastructure assets on the planet. Adebayo Ogunlesi. The man who bought Gatwick. The Nigerian-born financier who proved, quietly and without fanfare, that Black excellence operates at the very highest levels of global finance.

We also celebrate Richard Simpson of Cummin Up — a man who started with a single takeaway in New Cross in 1991 and built something far greater than a restaurant chain. He built a community institution. A family legacy. A living act of love for his neighbourhood.

In 2009, amid economic chaos, Global Infrastructure Partners acquired Gatwick Airport from BAA for £1.51 billion. A bold, contrarian bet — buying a major piece of UK infrastructure at the bottom of the market. GIP invested heavily in improving the airport, and when they sold their stake in 2019, Gatwick was valued at approximately £2.9 billion — nearly double what they had paid.

In 2016, GIP also acquired London City Airport. The quiet Nigerian-born financier now held two London airports. In 2024, BlackRock agreed to acquire GIP for approximately $12.5 billion. The Nigerian boy from Ibadan had, by any measure, conquered global finance.

1. The power of contrarian thinking. He looked where others weren't looking and saw value others dismissed.

2. Education as infrastructure. His investment in his own education — Oxford, Harvard, Harvard again — was the foundation on which everything was built.

3. The long game. He spent twenty years learning at the highest levels before he started his own firm.

4. Silence is a strategy. Ogunlesi has never sought fame. He has sought results.

Property remains the most accessible and most proven route to wealth creation for Black entrepreneurs in the UK. The combination of rental income, capital appreciation and leverage makes property uniquely powerful. Yet the Black community remains significantly underrepresented among property investors.

The BEI approach: Start with your own home if possible. Then consider buy-to-let in areas of strong rental demand. Look at HMOs for higher yields. Consider commercial property as your business grows. Think about property in your ancestral homeland as a long-term asset.

One of the most underused wealth-building strategies in the Black community is acquiring existing businesses rather than starting new ones. An established business with proven revenue and existing customers can often be acquired for less than starting from scratch — and generates income from day one.

In plain English: AI is software that can learn from data and make decisions or create content in ways that previously required human intelligence. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can write marketing copy, answer customer queries, analyse data and generate ideas — in seconds, for near-zero cost.

What this means for your business: Tasks that once required a marketing team or customer service department can now be handled — at least in part — by AI tools that cost less than your monthly phone bill. The playing field is being levelled. The question is who picks up the advantage first.

Every Black-owned business with a physical product should have an e-commerce presence. Platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce and Amazon allow any business to sell to any customer, anywhere in the world, at minimal cost. The BEI community has products the world wants — the world just doesn't know about them yet.

For over twelve years, Richard and Sharon Simpson have provided approximately 150 free Christmas meals to people in need in Lewisham. In January 2026, they catered the 45th anniversary memorial service for the New Cross Fire, attended by Sir Steve McQueen and Baroness Floella Benjamin. In 2024, Richard received the Lewisham Legacy Award from Mayor Brenda Dacres.

Leon Berry's Safe Place 2 Talk provides confidential, non-judgemental mental health support for individuals, families and communities. In a community where mental health remains heavily stigmatised, the work Leon is doing is lifesaving.

Mark Dalgety — 2024 Black British Business Awards Entrepreneurs Senior Leader — founded BEI not to build a directory, but to create a real movement for trade and change. 673+ members. 6 continents. 6 years. A community that is genuinely impacting lives.

BEI hosts regular networking events — virtual and in-person — for its 673+ member community. Amplify & Attract members receive access to bi-monthly networking events as part of their membership.

BEI Magazine reaches a highly engaged community of Black entrepreneurs, business owners and investors across the UK and internationally. Our readers are decision-makers, buyers, investors and collaborators — exactly the audience your business needs.

Cover Story · Issue 02

The Billion-Dollar Idea Nobody Believed In

Tope Awotona — the Nigerian-born founder of Calendly, rejected 148 times by investors before building a company used by 20 million people and valued at $3 billion. The most inspiring startup story of the decade.

Also in Issue 02: Global Spotlight — Ghana · Women in Business feature · The Blueprint · Wealth & Investment deep dive · New BEI member profiles