Sonita Alleyne

{{Infobox officeholder

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| name = Sonita Alleyne

| honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE|FRSA}}

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| order = 41st

| office = Master of Jesus College, Cambridge

| term_start = 1 October 2019

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| predecessor = Ian H. White

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| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1968}}

| birth_place = Bridgetown, Barbados

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| relations = Jade Alleyne (niece)

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| education = Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge (BA)

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Sonita Alleyne {{post-nominals|OBE|FRSA}} (born 1968){{cite news|url=https://www.varsity.co.uk/news/18064|title=Sonita Alleyne, the first Black woman to lead an Oxbridge college, wants to bring Jesus into 2019|newspaper=Varsity|location=Cambridge|first=Zak|last=Coleman|date=25 October 2019}} is the Barbados-born British co-founder and former CEO of Somethin’ Else, a cross-platform media production company. Alleyne is a member of the BBC Trust, the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and in 2019 was elected Master of Jesus College, Cambridge, becoming the first woman to hold the post since the founding of the college in 1496,{{cite news|url=https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news/2019/11/07/sonita-alleyne-the-first-ever-black-master-of-an-oxbridge-college/|title=Sonita Alleyne – the first ever black Master of an Oxbridge College|newspaper=The Voice|first=Vic|last=Motune|date=7 November 2019}} as well as the first black leader of an Oxbridge college.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/may/26/sonita-alleyne-to-become-first-black-leader-of-an-oxbridge-college-jesus-cambridge|title=Sonita Alleyne to be first black leader of an Oxbridge college|first=Caroline|last=Davies|newspaper=The Guardian|date=26 May 2019}}

Early life, education and early career

Alleyne was born in Bridgetown, Barbados. At the age of three, she moved with her parents to Walthamstow, England, and later attended the nearby Leyton Manor School and Leyton Senior High School.{{Cite web|url=https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/06/07/barbadian-lady-first-black-head-at-cambridge-university/|title=Barbadian lady first black Head at Cambridge University|date=2019-06-07|website=Barbados Today|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-03}} She graduated from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge (1985–88), with a B.A. degree in philosophy,{{cite web |first=Rachelle|last=Thackray |title=Me And My Partner: Jez Nelson and Sonita Alleyne |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/me-and-my-partner-jez-nelson-and-sonita-alleyne-1121007.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/me-and-my-partner-jez-nelson-and-sonita-alleyne-1121007.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |website=independent.co.uk |access-date=13 March 2019 |date=22 September 1999}}[https://www.fitz.cam.ac.uk/news/fitz-alumna-sonita-alleyne-named-jesus-college-master "Fitz alumna Sonita Alleyne named Jesus College Master"], Fitawilliam College, University of Cambridge, 28 May 2019. and began working as a financial adviser for Royal Life. A year later, she joined Jazz FM's publicity department and, in her two years at the station, proceeded to become a trainee producer.{{cite web|url=http://www.fitz.cam.ac.uk/mi-client/media/import/documents/Optima8.pdf|title=An' all that jazz|work=Optima (p. 7)|year=2005|access-date=9 December 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111014034802/http://www.fitz.cam.ac.uk/mi-client/media/import/documents/Optima8.pdf|archive-date=14 October 2011}}

Career

In 1991, Alleyne set up Somethin' Else, a music publicity business (named after the jazz album by Cannonball Adderley), with former colleagues Jez Nelson and Chris Philips. The company produced original content for the BBC and commercial radio. As CEO, Alleyne led many projects herself, including the development of Radio Music Shop, the world's first retail radio station.{{cite web|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2006/12/wrn-behind-radio-music-shop/|title=WRN behind Radio Music Shop|website=Radio Today|date=December 2006|access-date=30 August 2024}} By 2008, Somethin’ Else was, according to The Independent, "the biggest syndicator of radio programmes in the UK, outside of the BBC, distributing shows to more than 200 radio stations in 65 countries".{{cite news|url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/sonita-alleyne-my-life-in-media-774803.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/sonita-alleyne-my-life-in-media-774803.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Sonita Alleyne: My Life in Media|work=The Independent|first=Sophie|last=Morris|date=28 January 2008|access-date=9 December 2011}}

In October 2009, Alleyne stepped down as chief executive and continued as a non-executive director. Her co-founder Jez Nelson succeeded her as CEO.{{cite news|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/radio/nelson-replaces-alleyne-as-somethin-else-ceo/5006991.article|title=Nelson replaces Alleyne as Somethin' Else CEO|work=www.broadcast.co.uk| first=Robert|last=Shepherd|date=16 October 2009|access-date=9 December 2011}}

Since 2008, Alleyne has chaired the national arts charity Sound and Music{{cite web |title=Board of Directors |url=http://culturalcapitalfund.co.uk/people/directors/#acceptLicense |website=culturalcapitalfund.co.uk |access-date=13 March 2019}} and the Radio Sector Skills Council.{{cite web |title=Sonita Alleyne |url=https://www.cloreleadership.org/about-us/partners/mentor/14815 |website=cloreleadership.org |access-date=13 March 2019}} She is a member of the Court of Governors at the University of the Arts London and a trustee of the Islington Arts and Media Trust.{{cite web|url=http://www.arts.ac.uk/about/departments/governors|title=Governors Who's Who: Sonita Alleyne OBE|work=University of the Arts London|year=2011|access-date=9 December 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406094752/http://www.arts.ac.uk/about/departments/governors/|archive-date=6 April 2012}} She sits on the UK Culture Committee for UNESCO and contributes to the Government Department for Work and Pensions as a member of the London Skills and Employment Board and the National Employment Panel.{{cite web|url=http://www.london.gov.uk/lseb/about/members/alleyne.jsp|title=Members: Sonita Alleyne OBE|publisher=London Skills and Employment Board|year=2008|access-date=9 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219054411/http://www.london.gov.uk/lseb/about/members/alleyne.jsp|archive-date=19 December 2008}} She has been a judge for the Precious Awards, which celebrate the entrepreneurial achievements of black women,{{cite web|url=http://www.preciousawards.com/10/judges.html|title=The PRECIOUS Awards 2010 Judges|work=The Precious Awards|year=2010|access-date=9 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426041800/http://preciousawards.com/10/judges.html|archive-date=26 April 2012}} and the Sony Awards.{{cite news|url=http://www.tourdates.co.uk/news/2503-indie-radio-founder-gets-obe|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505110507/http://www.tourdates.co.uk/news/2503-indie-radio-founder-gets-obe|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 May 2013|title=Indie Radio Founder Gets OBE|work=www.tourdates.co.uk|year=2009|access-date=9 December 2011}}

In February 2012, she was appointed as a non-executive director of Archant, a media group.{{cite web |title=Archant names Sonita Alleyne as a non-executive director |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/business/archant-names-sonita-alleyne-as-a-non-executive-director-1-1203213 |website=eadt.co.uk |access-date=13 March 2019 |date=8 February 2012}} In July 2012, the Government announced that Alleyne would join the BBC Trust, the governing body of the Corporation.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/news/press_releases/2012/trustee_appointments.html|title=Aideen McGinley appointed BBC Trustee for Northern Ireland and Sonita Alleyne appointed BBC Trustee|author=BBC Trust|date=11 July 2012|access-date=23 December 2012}}

Alleyne has been a board member of the London Legacy Development Corporation since April 2012.{{cite web |title=Board of the London Legacy Development Corporation appointed |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases-4588 |website=london.gov.uk |access-date=13 March 2019 |date=30 March 2012}} In 2019, she was appointed Chair of the British Board of Film Classification.{{cite web |title=Sonita Alleyne, OBE, FRSA |url=https://competitions.malcolmreading.co.uk/museumoflondon/jury/sonita-alleyne-obe-frsa |website=competitions.malcolmreading.co.uk |access-date=13 March 2019}}

In May 2019, she was elected Master of Jesus College, Cambridge, taking up the post in October 2019.{{cite news|author=Press Association|access-date=2019-05-26|title=Sonita Alleyne to be first black leader of an Oxbridge college|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/may/26/sonita-alleyne-to-become-first-black-leader-of-an-oxbridge-college-jesus-cambridge|newspaper=The Guardian|date=26 May 2019|issn=0261-3077|via=www.theguardian.com}} She is the first woman to hold the role, 40 years after the college began admitting women as undergraduates.{{cite web |title=Sonita Alleyne OBE elected as new Master |url=https://www.jesus.cam.ac.uk/articles/sonita-alleyne-obe-elected-new-master |publisher=Jesus College, Cambridge|date=26 May 2019 |access-date=26 May 2019}} Alleyne praised the work of the Jesus College working party on the legacies of slavery (LSWP),{{cite news |last1=Khomami |first1=Nadia |title=Cambridge college to be first in UK to return a looted Benin bronze, which the college has received as a gift from a benefactor. |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/oct/15/cambridge-college-to-be-first-uk-return-looted-benin-bronze |access-date=8 January 2022 |newspaper=The Guardian |issue=15 October 2021 |date=2021 |language=en}} whose work relating to the courtier Tobias Rustat, memorialised in the chapel, has been criticised by Charles Moore in The Spectator.{{cite news |work=The Spectator|last=Moore|first=Charles|date= 29 January 2021|title=Will Samuel Pepys be cancelled next?|url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/will-samuel-pepys-be-cancelled-next|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=15 February 2021}}

October 2019 also saw Alleyne's influence recognised, with her inclusion in the 2020 Powerlist, an annual publication listing the 100 most influential Black Britons.{{cite web |last1=Mills |first1=Kelly-Ann |title=Raheem Sterling joins Meghan and Stormzy in top 100 most influential black Brits |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/black-powerlist-2020-raheem-sterling-20721033 |website=mirror |access-date=20 April 2020 |date=25 October 2019}} Her inclusion remained for the 2021 edition of the powerlist, in recognition of her work in the education sector.{{cite news |last1=Lavender |first1=Jane |title=Lewis Hamilton ends incredible year top of influential Black Powerlist 2021 |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/black-power-list-2021-lewis-23017308 |access-date=19 January 2021 |work=mirror |date=17 November 2020 |language=en}}

Awards and recognition

In 2000, Alleyne received the Award of Excellence from the European Federation of Black Women Business Owners. In 2002, she won the Carlton Multicultural Achievement Award for TV and Radio. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and the Radio Academy.{{cite web |title=Award-Winning Businesswoman Appointed To BBC Trust |url=https://archive.voice-online.co.uk/article/award-winning-businesswoman-appointed-bbc-trust |website=voice-online.co.uk |access-date=30 August 2024 |date=19 July 2012}} In 2004, she was awarded the OBE for services to broadcasting.