Prof Uzo Iwobi OBE
Founder and Chief Executive of RCC
We are delighted to welcome back our Founder, Professor Uzo Iwobi CBE as Chief Executive, Lead for Black History Wales and Coordinator for Black Lives Matter Wales Collective following the completion of her contract as Specialist Policy Adviser to Welsh Government.
In the last year alone, Professor Iwobi became the first international chair of diversity at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and was appointed to the following Boards: University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Academi Wales at Welsh Government and Chinese in Wales Association. Uzo also became a Wales representative Board Member of the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (which includes Oxford and Cambridge Universities) and was made an Honorary Fellow of Bridgend College.
Originally from Nigeria, Uzo holds a law degree from the University of Nigeria and she qualified as a solicitor and a barrister and was called to the Nigerian Bar.
After qualifying as a barrister in Nigeria, Uzo moved to Wales where she founded Race Council Cymru.
Uzo has sat on the board of several voluntary organisations, including serving as the chairperson of the African Community Centre in Wales, which she founded in 2004.
Uzo has served with the Police National Diversity team, based at the Home Office, where she was involved in developing national policies on race relations and diversity.
After moving to Wales, she worked as a Lecturer in Law at the Swansea Law School for 9yrs. She obtained a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with distinction from the University of Wales. She completed a Master’s Degree qualification in Business Management at the University of Glamorgan.
In 2004, she joined South Wales Police and in the same year, she founded the very first African Community Centre (ACC) in Wales and served as Chairperson for ACC for 15yrs.
Uzo was appointed to the Police National Diversity Team (PNDT) based at the Home Office to represent the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the 43 police forces in the UK on a high level strategic tripartite partnership including the Home Office, the Police Authority (APA) and Her Majesty’s’ Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) tasked with developing national policies on equality and diversity.
Uzo served with the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) UK as a Commissioner until it merged with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in October 2007. In 2008 she was awarded an OBE in recognition of her services to community relations and South Wales communities.
Uzo is a fully accredited Level 7 Executive Coach with the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).
Uzo was recognised and commended when she was given the awards listed below by various bodies
- 2006 Recognition of outstanding achievement in community work by the Swansea Bay Woman of the Year (Community Achievement) Award 2006
- 2008 In recognition of Uzo’s achievement in terms of community contributions, on the 14th of June 2008, the Queen Awarded an OBE (Officer to the Order of the British Empire) for her contributions to community race relations and South Wales Communities.
- 2009 The Women’s National Commission featured Uzo’s story in their journal entitled, “A guide to Women in Public Life”.
- 2010 Uzo was presented with the First Ministers’ Recognition Award for her contributions to race equality and race relations in Wales
- 2011 Uzo was honoured and featured in the British Council in Nigeria’s Reflections Report.
- 2011 Uzo received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The National Association of Nigerian Communities (NANC –UK)
- 2015 Uzo received an Outstanding Black Woman Achievement Award in Wales for contributions to the Black History Movement in Wales
- 2017 Uzo received a Recognition Award as a Founder of the Black History Movement in Wales
- 2017 Uzo received the Ethnic Minority Welsh Women’s Achievement Award (EMWWAA) Wales-wide Award for Leadership and Management
- 2017 Uzo received the prestigious EMWWAA Ambassador for Wales Award
- 2018 September 29th Uzo was featured in the Walesonline publication of Black Brilliant and Welsh, Uzo featured as no 30 on the list of Top 100 Africans and African Caribbean’s in Wales
- 2019 Honorary Fellow – University of Wales Trinity Saint David
- 2020 Professor at Practice – University of Wales Trinity Saint David
- 2021 Honorary Fellow – Bridgend College
Uzo was appointed by Ruth Kelly – the then Secretary of State – to serve as a commissioner to the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) UK until it merged with other commissions to form the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in October 2007.
Uzo achieved a distinction grade in Executive Level 7 Coaching and Management with the Institute of Leadership and Management and served as a trustee of the British Red Cross for 6yrs as well as a trustee of the United World College – Atlantic College. Uzo leads learning and development schemes for African Caribbean elders across Wales through the Windrush Cyrmu Elders Scheme. Uzo mentors young people and adult learners to achieve their visions and aspirations through the coaching cadre she facilitates.
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