Dr Diahanne Rhiney BCAe | Founder The Baton Awards and Be & Beyond

Dr Diahanne Rhiney BCAe is a renowned Champion for female entrepreneurs, an Ambassador for WorldVision Campaign, Strong Women, Strong World – leaders in gender equality, and a Social Change Advocate at the forefront of high-profile campaigns to support and influence the thinking, policy and practice in Government, Local Authorities, Commercial and Social Enterprises through building their capacity to support women and girls worldwide to achieve positive change that benefits society, a cause for which she has been voted one of the top 50 Best Advisors Award by community business advisors Enterprise Nation.

30 years ago, she set up the first social change agency, Naked Truth, specialising in diversity marketing and race relations. Today her thought-leadership skills as an authority in social change for personal and business success is sought after and has been rewarded with big business contracts worth £3.2b. Her agency supports entrepreneurs, and professionals from the world of sports, fashion, education, politics, music, and journalism through her mentor and thought-leadership programmes and professional coaching. She believes that to develop and empower oneself is the best armament one can have.

A pro-active Women’s Rights Campaigner, Diahanne is also renowned internationally for her integrity and profound passion to raise awareness of specific threats that particularly challenge women’s culture, race, gender, class, competence, and ethnicity, inspiring her to establish the ‘Baton Awards’ – celebrating the achievements of women pioneers and trailblazers from diverse racial groups; and ‘Strength With in Me’ Foundation – promoting healthy relationships through preventative measures. One of her proudest moments was when she masterminded and led the development and implementation of an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), lobbying continuously for healthy relationships to form part of the compulsory teaching in UK schools. In September 2020, this ground-breaking change was passed and announced by legislature to the Children and Social Work Bill.

Working closely with many multinational businesses, SMEs, Government, teachers, and leaders in the community with the vision of ensuring social justice for all, Diahanne endorses her life-long pledge to give, support, and equip everyone with an opportunity to succeed in life and at work and ardently shares her lived experience through interviewing or contributing to debates, chat-shows, and social media platforms to bring attention to those discriminating issues women continue to face today and ensure that everyone’s views count.

Diahanne’s professional stamina has merited her and her Agency many awards including British Citizen Award (Education) for her positive contribution to Britain; NatWest Everywoman Athena Award (Most Inspirational Woman Running a Business); Violent Crime Prevention Board (Championing Social Wellbeing Award).