The 46-year-old chief executive of the software company Forterro, which is valued at €2bn (£1.7bn), has replaced the former Vogue editor-inchief Edward Enninful in the top spot of this year's Powerlist.
The list was started in 2006 to showcase black role models to young people across sectors including business, science and the arts.
Forbes is one of a handful of black chief executives globally to lead companies valued at more than €ibn. He is also a partner at the private equity firm Corten Capital and runs Forbes Family Group (FFG), a not-for-profit that supports a wide range of charities and causes. This year FFG raised more than £400,000 for the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT).
Speaking to the Guardian, Forbes described the accolade as a "career and professional high".
This story is from the October 25, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the October 25, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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