Do Well. Do Good.

Sir Kenneth Aphunezi Olisa’s career spans boardrooms, public service and philanthropy, guided by a simple maxim that has defined both his business success and civic contribution: “Do well. Do good.”

As the first British-born Black man to serve as a director of a FTSE 100 company, Sir Kenneth has long represented a model of leadership where commercial achievement and social responsibility are not competing priorities, but mutually reinforcing ones. Over decades, he has used business success not as an end point, but as a platform for widening opportunity and supporting future generations.

Business Leadership Rooted in Experience

Educated at state schools before studying Natural, Social, Political and Management Sciences at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, Sir Kenneth began his career at IBM before moving to Wang Laboratories, working across Europe, Africa and the United States during a period of rapid technological change.

In 1992 he founded the technology merchant bank Interregnum, later launching Restoration Partners. His appointment to the board of Reuters in 2004 marked a historic milestone, and his subsequent board and advisory roles have drawn on deep international experience in technology, leadership and governance.

That foundation — practical, global and entrepreneurial — has shaped the way Sir Kenneth approaches philanthropy and public service. His charitable work is grounded not in theory, but in lived leadership and an understanding of how institutions function.

Philanthropy, Social Mobility and Education

At the centre of Sir Kenneth’s philanthropic work is a clear belief: talent should never be limited by circumstance.

As founding chair of the Aleto Foundation (formerly the Powerlist Foundation), he has worked to support young leaders from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds, helping to build pathways into leadership, business and public life. His long-standing commitment to education is further reflected in the endowment of the Olisa Library at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, alongside his wife Julia Sherwood — a reflection of his belief that access to knowledge remains one of the most powerful tools for social mobility.

His work extends across organisations including School-Home Support and The Fore, both focused on supporting individuals and small charities facing structural barriers to opportunity. In recognition of his contribution to social impact, Sir Kenneth received an honorary degree from the University of Westminster in 2023.

Civic Duty and Service

Sir Kenneth’s commitment to social justice extends beyond philanthropy into direct civic leadership. As former President of the London homelessness charity Thames Reach, and Chair of the Shaw Trust — one of the UK’s leading social purpose organisations supporting disabled and disadvantaged people into employment — he has consistently focused on practical solutions to complex social challenges.

Since his appointment as Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London in 2015, the first British-born Black individual to hold the role in its 500-year history, he has acted as the monarch’s representative while championing the voluntary, civic and commercial life of the capital.

For Sir Kenneth, business leadership and public service are inseparable responsibilities.

Leadership in Action: Supporting The Next Agenda

Sir Kenneth’s leadership was also evident in his support of OTA Media’s The Next Agenda Market Close at the London Stock Exchange, where leaders from HM Treasury, the Bank of England, global finance, technology and media came together to explore the future of leadership, inclusion and economic competitiveness.

His contribution reflected a consistent theme throughout his career: that leadership is ultimately measured by the systems we build and the opportunities we create for others.

In supporting conversations that bring institutions, markets and communities into dialogue, Sir Kenneth continues to demonstrate how influence can be used to strengthen both business and society.

At a time when the divide between commercial success and social impact can appear increasingly wide, Sir Kenneth Olisa represents a powerful synthesis of the two. From pioneering boardroom roles to hands-on charitable leadership, his career offers a clear example of how enterprise, empathy and responsibility can coexist.

His journey remains a reminder that influence, when exercised with purpose, has the power not only to shape markets, but to change lives.