The chief executive of Dr. Martens has been named the Black British Business Person of the Year at the 2026 Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards).

Ije Nwokorie, who became chief of Dr. Martens in January last year and is the only black chief executive in the FTSE 250, was awarded in recognition of his role shaping Dr. Martens’ growth strategy.

He is recognised inside Dr. Martens for his strong communication with staff, according to the judges.

Before joining Dr. Martens, Mr Nwokorie spent more than 11 years at Wolff Olins, the marketing giant, before working as a senior director at Apple.

Born in the US but brought up from age six against the backdrop of post-civil-war Nigeria, Mr Nwokorie has described how he and his family went from the lifestyle trappings of 1960s America to a small Nigerian village and a home with no running water.

On winning the award, Mr Nwokorie said: “This recognition means a lot to me.…