Claire Dove

Better business expert

Claire Dove is a passionate, animated speaker who peppers her meticulously researched presentations with humour and positivity. A long-time activist against gender inequality and racism, she has spent her working life establishing organisations that give people a chance to better themselves, regardless of education, ethnicity or background.

Claire is often asked to give speeches on how a new economic paradigm can contribute to a more equal society, the power of communities to change the lives of the next generation, and diversity and inclusion. She is the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Crown Representative, a role which sees her advising the British Government how it can create social value with the £230bn it spends through its supply chain.

She has spent her career dismantling the barriers to social progress she encountered from a young age. Her Ghanaian father’s ambitions for her were curtailed by his death when Claire was still a child, to be replaced by the limited career choices presented by her Irish mother.

After being dismissed by recruiters because of the colour of her skin, Claire set up her own employment agency. She went on to establish the award-winning Blackburne House, which offers education, counselling and childcare services to women, and was instrumental in establishing the UK’s first social enterprise strategy with Patricia Hewitt during Tony Blair’s time as Prime Minister.

Claire has received many awards for her achievements, which include an MBE, OBE and also the Queens Lifetime achievement award for Enterprise promotion. Claire was once again honoured in the 2020 New Year’s honours list with a CBE.