The annual UK Black Business Week has announced that it will relocate to ExCel London for its 2024 edition due to continued growth.

The week-long event for black business owners and professions, which launched in 2017, also includes the UK Black Business Show. The week attracted up to 15,000 visitors this year, together with hundreds of exhibitors.

With previous speakers including the likes of Sir Trevor McDonald, David Olusoga, June Sarpong, Kanya King, Lenny Henry and Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett, founder and chief executive Raphael Sofoluke is now ready to develop the show further, moving to the Royal Docks venue to benefit from its greater space, facilities and transport infrastructure.

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Mr Sofoluke said: “UK Black Business Week was created to develop, empower and inspire.

“The appetite and potential was clear to see from the outset, with the event doubling, sometimes even tripling, in size year-on-year. Due to this demand, we now want to take the event to the next level and so relocating to ExCeL was the logical choice. The venue’s status and connectivity mean it’s the perfect location for us to build on the growth we’ve already experienced.”

ExCeL’s chief commercial officer Simon Mills added: “The dedication and hard work of Raphael and his team is clear to see, and we’re delighted that ExCeL will be hosting the 2024 UK Black Business Week & UK Black Business Show. As well as benefiting from the venue’s seamlessly integrated venue space, facilities and transport infrastructure, we can also help with the event’s growth potential, ensuring it remains the market leader it is now.”

BusinessLive caught up with Mr Sofoluke before the 2023 edition of the UK Black Business Wek at the beginning of October, where he revealed plans for a US edition of the Black Tech Achievement Awards after seeing significant growth for the UK event.

The next UK Black Business Week is expected to take place in October 2024.