We are delighted to announce that we have teamed up with Join Our Table to shine a spotlight on talented women of colour who are making big strides in today's media industry.

Join Our Table has been a regular partner at Adwanted Events in recent years, and emerged at Cannes Lions in 2023 when eight visionary women identified the glaring absence of Black British women at the festival.

In year one of the partnership, Join Our Table and The Media Leader came together to identify the first 50 black women we collectively felt deserved the spotlight for this launch initiative, with a view to making this an annual occurrence and opening to a wider entry and voting system in 2026.

Elizabeth Anyaegbuna, co-founder of media agency 16x9media and a founding sister of Join Our Table said: "At Join Our Table, we believe meaningful change happens when visibility meets opportunity. Our partnership with The Media Leader to spotlight 50 remarkable Black women in media isn't just about recognition—it's about reshaping the industry's narrative from the inside out. These women aren't merely participants in media; they're architects of its future. By amplifying their voices and achievements, we're not asking for a seat at the table—we're building a larger, more inclusive one where Black female talent isn't the exception, but an essential part of the conversation."

James Longhurst, content director at The Media Leader, added: "This partnership is the first of what we hope will be many initiatives we launch over the next 12 months. We are excited about the opportunity to celebrate the industry, especially the incredible talent who continue to shape and elevate the way we work. We welcome working with more partners like Join Our Table to shine a spotlight on the brilliant women doing amazing things in media."