By Beth Gormley, Communications and PR Manager, UCD College of Business

The Empower 100 Future Leaders Role Model List was released on the 24th of May 2023
celebrating inspirational individuals who are driving the inclusion of people of colour across
organizations.

Selected to the list is Dr Penelope Muzanenhamo who is Assistant Professor in Marketing
and Society at UCD College of Business, which is an interdisciplinary role combining
Marketing scholarship with societal concerns and Critical Management Perspectives.
“I am honoured to be included for the first time in the Empower 100 Future Leaders Role
Model List alongside a group of such inspiring and impactful individuals from across the
world, who are championing the inclusion and success of people of colour across
organizations” said Dr Muzanenhamo.

“However, this selection is reflective of the work of many great colleagues within UCD and
the broader academic community, family and friends who have gone above and beyond to
ensure that I realise my potential. Through their dedication, humility, and relentlessly
facilitating my professional growth, they have all been my role models, and they continue to
be my sources of strength and inspiration.”

“I take this opportunity as well to salute my adoptive Austrian father and family who chose
to create a difference through me. This selection to Empower 100 Future Leaders Role
Model List is a testimonial to the potential better futures that we can all create for others,
ourselves and the world if we walk and work together,” concluded Assistant Professor
Muzanenhamo.

A member of the UCD College of Business Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and
Global Strategy Engagement Group, Penelope played an instrumental role in articulating
UCD’s racial justice campaign.

She is also Africa Lead at the UCD Centre for Business and Society, and co-executive Director
of 'People, Work, Society’ at UCD Earth Institute. Penelope has also helped to recruit diverse
researchers working on Sustainability into UCD Earth Institute.

Beyond University College Dublin, Penelope is Media and Artefacts Review Editor for the
journal Organization, and Co-Chair of the Critical Management Studies Division of the
Academy of Management. In these roles, Penelope works jointly with other scholars to
facilitate the integration of Black and Brown voices, and their communities into mainstream
Business School research. Beyond academia, Penelope serves as part of the Ireland-Africa-
Rural-Development Committee, which supports Ireland's strategy for integrating African
agricultural actors into global value chains.

The Empower 100 Future Leaders Role Model List is developed by diversity and inclusion
organisation INvolve, and supported by its partner, YouTube.

“I’m so thrilled to be celebrating this global group of trailblazing Executives, Future Leaders
and Advocates for people of colour in business,” said Founder and CEO of INvolve, Suki
Sandhu OBE. “All the individuals within these lists are championing inclusion and leveraging
their expertise and knowledge to drive impactful initiatives and strategic change within their
organizations. It’s vital that people of colour across global organizations can succeed and
achieve career success, and these Role Models are essential drivers of change who are
smashing barriers to progress. We could not effect change without them leading the way.”

Nominations were reviewed by the empower judging panel, which included: Dame Vivian
Hunt, Chief Innovation Officer of Unitedhealth Group; Linda Yueh, Economist, broadcaster
and author, Oxford University; Nina Vaca, Chairman & CEO, Pinnacle Group; Greg Case,
Chief Executive Officer, AON Plc; and Suki Sandhu OBE, Founder & CEO, INvolve.

The full Empower 100 Future Leaders Role Model List 2023 can be found here.