Profile

Leila Thomas is the CEO and Founder of Urban Synergy, an award winning, Youth Empowerment Charity, which she founded in 2007.

Leila founded Urban Synergy; when she was struck by the lack of opportunity for young people, particularly those from black and ethnic minority communities, and how it was impacting their path to success. Urban Synergy was created to help to bridge the gap for young people in communities, who can see the city from their window, but don’t know how to get there.

With over twenty years in the tech industry building IT networks, Leila is currently seconded from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), to lead the charity’s expansion and development of programmes, in London and ethnic diverse cities in the UK. During the COVID19 pandemic, Leila pivoted the charity’s strategy and developed online e-Mentoring, e-Seminars, online work experience externships and parent support programmes. Urban Synergy Inspires, Guides and Ignites the ambitions of young people and to date have supported over 20,000 young people, with their bank of more than 1,000 relatable role models.

Continually honoured for her work, most recently in October 2022, Leila won The Powerlist Black Excellence Community Award for her outstanding contribution to uplifting the lives of young people through Urban Synergy. Leila has been listed by Google as a Top 10 UK Black Role Model, also winning The National Black Crown Prosecution Association (NBCPA) ‘Profile in Courage Award’ which is awarded ‘to a community member or group that have demonstrated courage in the face of adversity, and have become a positive force to influence change in our communities’. Urban Synergy also won the East London Business Award winner for, ‘Response to Covid’ in November 2021.

Other distinct awards include, the UK Social Mobility Award - Mentor of the Year 2018, Point of Light Award from Prime Minister at the time, David Cameron, a European Diversity Award, Business in the Community (BITC) Race Equality Leadership Award and Thomson Reuters Community Champion 1st Prize.

Forming part of the ‘ITV Black Voices’ campaign, in 2020, Leila was featured on ITV to talk about what it's like to be a black woman in technology. This was a pivotal moment that provided black people with a platform to share stories of racism and their lived experience, as well as sharing a vision for the changes they want to see in the future. You can see Leila's video here, and the full series here.

Leila believes that together, we can build an equitable world for all young people, and create a diverse workforce that everyone can benefit from.