Yvonne Thompson

Yvonne Thompson, CBE, FRSA, is a British business leader, who was a founding member of radio station Choice FM, music editor of Root magazine, managing director of marketing and PR company ASAP Communications, president of the European Federation of Black Women Business Owners. Her work has had a focus on women-owned businesses, as well as on diversity and gender equality in the work place.[1] She is frequently referred to as "Britain's first black self-made woman millionaire".[2] In February 2018, her appointment as chair of The Radio Academy was announced.[3]

Yvonne Thompson CBE

Background

Born in Guyana, South America, Yvonne Thompson immigrated to Britain in 1961.[4] She originally wanted to be a medical doctor, and then a nurse, leaving school at 16 and taking a pre-nursing course at Croydon Polytechnic – she has explained this change of ambition by saying: "[A]s I grew older I realised I didn't see many non-white doctors; they were all male and pale."[2]

Her jobs were working at NatWest bank and, at the age of 20, being PA to the contracts manager at Phonogram Records, which led to employment at Warner Brothers and at CBS, although being passed over for promotion three times caused her to resign.[2][5] She went on to found in 1983 her own public relations company, ASAP Communications, pioneering the provision of bespoke PR services for black music artists.[6]

She wrote for the UK's first black glossy magazine Root and became a founding member and director of the UK's first Black music radio station Choice FM[1] (started in 1990 and eventually rebranded as Capital XTRA).[7]

Thompson subsequently founded, in 1996, the European Federation of Black Women Business Owners (EFBWBO).[4][8][9]

In 2014 she published her first book, 7 Traits of Highly Successful Women on Boards,[4][10] in which she says she is "laying down a challenge to society, to provide a level playing field so that our young women with potential to be future leaders, can be the confident citizens of Europe, including possibility of being on the Board of a national or international corporation, and not be excluded like so many women of this generation are, purely on the grounds of her gender".[11]

Thompson has worked with many public bodies and chaired or served on the boards of numerous organisations, including government agencies.[12][13] In February 2018, she was appointed chair of The Radio Academy.[3][14]

In 2022, she was named as Chair of the Black Cultural Archives.[15]

Awards and recognition

Yvonne Thompson received the European Women Of Achievement Award in 2001.[16][17]

In the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for Services to Black and Ethnic Minority Business.[18]

In 2005 she received an honorary doctorate from London Metropolitan University for services to small business, and mass communications,[8] and has also been awarded an honorary degree from Plymouth University.[1] Other honours accorded her include the declaration by the Mayor of Houston, Texas, of 4 January 2004 as "Yvonne Thomson Day".[19]

References
  1. "Inspirational Woman: Dr Yvonne Thompson CBE | Entrepreneur and Owner of ASAP Communications" (interview), We Are The City, 15 November 2016.
  2. Caitlin Davies, "My Way: Yvonne Thompson gives her tips for success 'Let someone else write your CV for you'", The Independent, 10 October 2007.
  3. "New Chair & Deputy appointed to The Radio Academy", The Radio Academy.
  4. Cloyette HS, "Meet Dr. Yvonne Thompson: Founder Of ASAP Communications & Britain’s First Black Female Self-Made Millionaire", Guyanese Girls Rock, 8 March 2014.
  5. "Yvonne Thompson- Britain’s 1st Black Woman Millionaire", Taylor Made Wealth, 4 May 2012.
  6. "10 minutes of inspiration with Dr Yvonne Thompson CBE", Inspire, Harvey Nash, 19 February 2015.
  7. "Global to change Choice to Capital XTRA". Radio Today. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  8. "Dr. Yvonne Thompson – Powerful Woman", Black Women In Europe Blog, 29 November 2012.
  9. "About us", Black Women Business Leaders, European Federation of Black Women Business Leaders.
  10. 7 Traits of Highly Successful Women on Boards: Views from the top and how to get there, Panoma Press, 2014, ISBN 978-1909623736.
  11. Jasmine Dotiwala, "Seven Traits of Highly Successful Women on Boards - Views From The Top And How To Get There", Huffington Post Blog, 2 May 2015.
  12. "Dr Yvonne Thompson CBE FRSA" at LinkedIn.
  13. "Leading the way to a seven figure exit – Dr Yvonne Thompson CBE".
  14. "Radio Academy appoints new chair and deputy", Radio Today, 20 February 2018.
  15. Motune, Vic (2 February 2022). "Black Cultural Archives names Dr Yvonne Thompson as its new Chair". The Voice. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  16. "Achievements", YvonneThompson.com.
  17. "Women of Achievement Awards", Getty Images, 2001.
  18. "No. 56963", The London Gazette (Supplement) 14 June 2003, p. 89.
  19. "Dr Yvonne Thompson CBE", official website.
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