How 100 Allies is pioneering a new era of inclusive leadership in beauty

Women, in all their diversity, power beauty. However, they are often underrepresented and underserved in top leadership. Attempting to tackle this issue, 100 Allies - a new social enterprise and non-profit that strives to change the face and faces of the beauty boardroom - has launched. 

Founded by British Beauty Council executive board member Nnenna Onuba, 100 Allies is a movement championing the rise of women and diverse voices to strategic leadership roles.

It attempts to bridge the gap between underrepresented talent and business success, creating a thriving ecosystem where diverse leaders and organisations grow together.

"The beauty industry is powered by women and diverse talent - so why doesn’t leadership reflect that? The numbers are undeniable - 90% of the consumer base, 86% of business owners, and 80% of the workforce are women and diverse talent. Yet, in Europe’s top companies, only 17% of C-suite roles are held by women. That’s a structural problem," Onuba tells TheIndustry.beauty.

"Our aim at 100 Allies is here to fix that disconnect. We’re not just talking about change - we’re working to create pathways to leadership, capital, and industry access."

How will it achieve this?

By creating a network of allies, mentors and sponsors, the organisation will help the industry's "rising stars" to overcome the barriers to advancement, opening access and opportunity for all through the power of partnership.

It aims to drive systemic change by equipping both rising stars and business ecosystems to achieve measurable outcomes like promotions, fundraising success, exits, business growth and return on investment through four key pillars.

1. Inclusive leadership training

The first pillar will equip business leaders and employers to build inclusive, high-impact business ecosystems and cultures that drive engagement, growth and collective success.

2. Rising Star Accelerator Clinics

The Rising Star Accelerator Clinics attempt to empower talent with skills, insights, and connections to thrive in competitive industries - think speed-dating meets career coaching to help ambitious, diverse professionals and entrepreneurs level up their careers and businesses.

3. Leadership Accelerator

For the third pillar, 100 Allies will scout, nurture and fast-track "exceptional" rising stars, creating investment-ready, market-ready and employment-ready pipelines.

4. Talent and venture access 

It will also deploy diverse talent into real-world opportunities, attempting to bridge gaps in representation and innovation.

"We scout, nurture, and connect rising stars with the right networks, mentorship, and real-world opportunities to scale - whether that’s in leadership, business, or industry influence. But access alone isn’t enough," explains Onuba.

"Businesses must also do the work. That’s why our inclusive leadership training ensures companies aren’t just attracting diverse talent - they’re retaining and empowering them. We believe that when talent thrives, business wins."

Who's involved?

To ensure its success and provide meaningful support, 100 Allies has formed an advisory board with 21 members, including Sallie Berkerey, Managing Director of CEW UK; Aaron Chatterley, co-founder of indu; Dianna Tieu, Managing Director for L'Occitane UK & Ireland; and Margaret Mitchell, Chief Commercial Officer at Space NK, amongst others.

Outside of the advisory board, a number of other experts have also joined, bringing experience across start-ups and growth, customer strategy, capital and fundraising, marketing and branding, career growth, leadership, executive coaching, sustainability and innovation, and retail and partnerships.

These experts include Dr Anna Persaud, CEO at This Works; Belinda Brown, CFO at Sephora UK; Chris Reid, General Manager for Commercial Strategy & Retail at Estée Lauder Companies; Ali Khokher, Retail Lead for Beauty at Bicester Village; and broadcaster and entrepreneur Dr Ateh Jewel.

"We have been blown away by the calibre of experts who have stepped up, from retailers and brands to agencies and entrepreneurs. These are leaders who understand that future-proofing this industry means building diverse leadership now," says Onuba.

"They're giving their time, insights, and direct allyship because real leaders lift as they rise. It proves that the right people are ready to act. And that’s what will drive real change."

The inaugural event

Kicking off with its first-ever Rising Stars Accelerator Clinic last week, 100 Allies brought together emerging talent, expert voices, and industry leaders at The Estée Lauder Companies UK & Ireland headquarters in London.

The event began with networking, later hosting a short presentation from Onuba and keynote speaker, Olamide Olowe, the founder of US-based skincare brand Topicals.

This was followed by 1-2-1 mentoring, with each expert meeting three rising stars in 15-minute sessions.

"Opportunity shouldn’t just be about who you know - it should be about who’s ready. Our first accelerator clinic sold out in under 48 hours. This demonstrates that the  demand for access, mentorship, and real opportunities is massive - but in the past the industry has been slow to respond," says Onuba, following the event on Thursday.

"At our clinic, rising stars didn’t just meet mentors - they met future investors, board advisors, employees, and co-founders. It was an opportunity to establish cross-industry connections that don’t exist in traditional corporate mentoring. Also, business leaders saw high-potential talent they had never had on their radar before. This wasn’t just another networking event. It was a launchpad.

"It exceeded our expectations. Having had some initial feedback, we’ve seen people make connections to help their careers accelerate and business owners have doors open for key areas of growth and guidance that they need. This wasn’t just another panel or networking session. It was about breaking barriers and addressing challenges in real time. The energy was electric. And this is just the beginning."

Among the experts in attendance were Margaret Mitchell and Ateh Jewel, as well as board member and beauty expert Tracey Woodward, Vice President of Puig UK&I Alexandra Doudard, founder of The Beauty Beat Donna Dia, and more.

Speaking to TheIndustry.beauty about the event, Donna Dia said: "It was an incredible honour to be a part of the 100 Allies mentoring event last week! The expertise and support that 100 Allies is providing to the next generation of entrepreneurs is both wonderful and so incredibly valuable.

"I honestly wish a foundation like 100 Allies had existed when I started The Beauty Beat, because there is so much I didn't know and that is what 100 Allies so expertly helps with. Having access to such a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise via an initiative like 100 Allies really is phenomenal."

As for the rising stars, attendees included advanced aesthetician Christina Bethany Patchet, founder of This Is Silk Sonal Keay, Marketing Manager for Rimmel London Asmita Singh, and founder of The Glowcery Roshanne Dorsett.

"As a solo founder, it’s incredibly important for me to surround myself with accomplished women, both for inspiration and for the confidence that I, too, can achieve my goals," says Dorsett, who founded The Glowcery in 2020.

"Being part of this community allows me to learn from those who have already paved the way and build a strong network of support. It was amazing! The keynote speech by Olamide Olowe, founder of Topicals, was incredibly insightful, and I gained so much from my mentor sessions with Taj Giles, Tracey Woodward, and Georgia D’Costa. I’m excited to build meaningful connections, gain valuable insights, and receive practical advice that will help me grow The Glowcery."

What to expect going forwards

Following the success of the first accelerator clinic, Onuba tells TheIndustry.beauty that she is scaling what works and expanding access, with the desire to partner with more organisations that see the value in her mission.

As for the rising stars, the organisation plans to double the upcoming accelerator clinics with 100 rising stars and 100 mentors for "bigger outcomes and more access".

Meanwhile, for businesses and employers, its inclusive leadership training is now open for booking. Having piloted this with L’Occitane in the fourth quarter of 2024, 100 Allies is urging interested beauty businesses to get in touch.

"We don’t gatekeep. If you’re ready, get involved. We’re building the pipeline the industry says it needs and we believe we can make this happen together, " finishes Onuba.

Rising stars can sign up for the 100 Allies mailing list and industry experts who want to mentor, partner, hire, or contribute, can reach out via info@100allies.org.

Image credit: Heather Chuter