Karen Blackett CBE, who's recently been appointed as Non-executive director at the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), spoke to The Mirror at the weekend about how athletics was her first love and how when that plateaued she turned to her second love and built a career in advertising and media as a black woman in a predominantly male/white industry.

“Don’t wait and wait, speak up early and always make sure that you’ve got an ally in the room, get somebody else to pass the mic if you’re not getting that chance for your voice to be heard,” is her advice on how she found success.

Congratulations to Karen Blackett CBE on joining the British Fashion Council’s Board of Directors. Karen brings outstanding leadership and experience from the government, media, and marketing sectors to support the BFC’s mission to champion British fashion and elevate creative talent.