LONDON — Kanya King, the founder of the annual MOBO awards that recognise achievement in music of Black origin, has launched a new platform to connect Black creative talent in the UK – including in public relations – with mentoring, networking and career opportunities.

King is calling on brands, business leaders and agencies – as well as individuals seeking opportunities in the creative and technology industries – to join the Mobolise platform, which is being built by Accenture and supported by UK artists and influencers including Emeli Sandé, Afua Hirsch, Mo Gilligan and George The Poet.

She told PRovoke Media there was a “scary underrepresentation of black talent” in the PR industry: “While there has been undoubted progress in the PR sector, Black talent is still being left behind. Black talent may not be inclined to enter the creative industries due to lack of connections, they don't have the same access to opportunities as Caucasian candidates due to bias in the hiring process and practices.

“There has traditionally been a lack of role models who look like them and who they can relate to. We believe that Mobolise has the potential to be transformative in the PR industry and beyond.'

Mobilise will offer the chance for people of all ages to network with leaders and employees from different industries to gain mentorship, boost confidence, find vacancies, showcase skills and attend networking and mentoring events. It will also offer businesses the chance to reach underrepresented and undiscovered talent and educate their boards to prevent unconscious bias.

King continued: “Often when you are the 'other' in an organisation, it is a very lonely and isolating place. We have championed and empowered new talent within the music industry. In recent years our work has also driven change within film, theatre and the media. This is a way of expanding that into the wider business world.”

Simmons and Schmid, which was set up in September by former Freuds director Mark Schmid and former Weber Shandwick technology specialist Tim Simmons, is handling PR for the initiative. Schmid told PRovoke Media: “It really struck a chord – Tim and I are very keen to have diversity of thought and to attract different talent into the industry, including Black talent – and we hope the PR industry gets on board.”

He added: “As well as helping Kanya to launch the initiaves, we’re working with Accenture and their PR teams, and looking atv how to build relationships with Britain’s biggest companies so they sign up to connect talent to business – we’ll be doing direct comms outreach over the next couple of months.”

For more information on Mobolise or to sign up as an individual or a company, click here.