Chiswick Man Named as One of Most Influential Black Leaders
Compliance chief Nicholas Joseph appears in Powerlist 2027
Nicholas Joseph at the awards ceremony
November 3, 2026
A Chiswick resident with a career spanning diplomacy, financial services and regulatory compliance has been recognised as one of the UK's most influential Black professionals.
Nicholas Joseph, who has lived in Chiswick since 2013, has been named in the prestigious Powerlist 2027, an annual publication celebrating Britain's most influential people of African, African Caribbean and African American heritage. Mr Joseph was selected for the influential list for the first time in the Business, Financiers and Entrepreneurs category.
The Powerlist, produced by Powerful Media, highlights individuals who have made significant contributions across business, politics, public service, arts and sport. This year's overall top honour went to Ian Thomas CBE, Chief Executive of the City of London Corporation, who was named the most influential Black person in Britain, while comedian, actor and broadcaster Sir Lenny Henry received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The awards ceremony was held at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House London on 30 October.
Mr Joseph's inclusion recognises both his professional achievements and his contribution to mentoring and community development. He currently serves as Managing Director, EMEA Head of Financial Crime Compliance and UK Money Laundering Reporting Officer at State Street, one of the world's leading financial institutions.
In that role, he oversees efforts to protect the organisation from money laundering, sanctions breaches and wider financial crime risks across multiple markets and jurisdictions. His responsibilities include advising senior leaders on governance, regulatory and reputational issues, developing risk-management frameworks and maintaining relationships with regulators and international stakeholders.
His career in financial services spans more than 25 years and has included senior compliance roles at several major global organisations. Before joining State Street, he served as UK Money Laundering Reporting Officer at Worldpay, led anti-financial-crime evaluation work at Deutsche Bank and was Chief Compliance Officer and a board director within GE Capital.
However, his professional journey began in public service. Before entering the financial sector, Mr Joseph spent 13 years as a British diplomat after joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office through its policy fast stream programme.
His diplomatic career took him to postings in the UK, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates, where he worked on international security, intelligence, sanctions, anti-corruption and anti-money-laundering policy. While based in Geneva, he represented the United Kingdom at United Nations bodies dealing with issues including nuclear disarmament, export controls and human rights.
Alongside his executive responsibilities, Mr Joseph has made a substantial contribution to the compliance profession. He is a former chair and board director of the UK chapter of the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists and is a Fellow and advisory board member of the International Compliance Association.
The Powerlist judges also recognised his work as a mentor with The Amos Bursary, a charity that supports talented young people of African and Caribbean heritage to access university education and professional careers.
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