For Josephina Smith, British Airways is not just an airline.   It is a fantastic brand that people have a deep connection with.. So when her career in HR and reward transformation brought her to BA two years ago, it was an easy decision.. “I’ve always been drawn to brands that are future-facing,” she says. “Change represents growth, and growth pushes me forward.”

Her path here was shaped by some of the UK’s biggest institutions, Barclays, Nationwide, Royal Bank of Canada, Yorkshire Water, YouGov. At each step she found herself pulled to places on the cusp of transformation, where creativity and connection could make a real impact. At BA, joining at the start of a major transformation, she saw a chance to help shape the company’s future.

Josephina is clear about her values: integrity, purpose, and the courage to stand firm. She carries herself with the quiet authority of someone who knows the power of visibility. “People cannot be who they cannot see,” she says. “If you’re the first in the room, you can show others that they can be there too.” As one of only two Black directors interviewed during this Black History Month, she recognises both the weight and the privilege of that responsibility. “Power isn’t about titles. For me, power is responsibility, the responsibility to influence people to be better, to help them become stronger versions of themselves, to leave a legacy through the impact you have on others.”

That legacy is already visible. She is proudest not of big corporate projects, but of the people who come back to tell her: your words changed me. “What makes me happy is advocating for people and helping them find their gifts,” she says. “Everyone has something unique to bring. I want to help them see it.”

Her Nigerian heritage and Christian faith have shaped how she stands in her Blackness today. She describes pride as something she was “born into.” Growing up in Nigeria for  some of her formative years, she learned early that community, possibility, and belonging could exist without limits. Returning to the UK, she didn’t internalise the racism she encountered, though sometimes she only recognised it in retrospect. Instead, she chose to acknowledge it for what it was, without letting it define her. “I admire Nelson Mandela deeply,” she says. “Despite everything he went through, he was full of love and wanted to mend. That kind of strength resonates with me.”

At BA, she has seen progress in inclusion, but she is unflinching about the work still to be done. Too often, she says, initiatives can become  narrow tick-box exercises rather than real structural change. She would love to see a space where the unique experiences of Black colleagues could be understood, amplified, and acted on. A sort of Black BA “The question is always: do Black employees feel applauded? Do they feel treated the same? Those are the conversations we need to be having.”

For Josephina, allyship is not about platitudes. It is about courage, taking the time to understand, addressing issues in the room instead of avoiding them, and choosing to act even when it is uncomfortable. “Just do it,” she says simply. “Too many people talk themselves out of doing something they know they can do.”

Her advice, both to her younger self and to colleagues coming up behind her, echoes that same clarity: be intentional about your impact, be at peace with who you are, and don’t let other people’s actions distract you from the power you hold to do good. “Self-reflection, hard work, resilience, all of it matters. But above all, stay grounded in who you are.”

When she walks into a room, Josephina knows she can make an impact. She describes herself as grounded and driven, led always by her faith. That faith, she says, runs through the core of who she is. It is what gives her the strength to stand tall as a Black woman, a leader, and a role model.

And when asked about her legacy, she doesn’t hesitate: “I don’t want to be remembered as just a Black face in the room. I want to be remembered as someone who had courage, who did the right thing for BA, who moved us forward, and who inspired others to believe they could do the same.”

Even in the face of challenges, Josephina’s pride in being both Black and part of BA shines through. “If I said I wasn’t proud, I’d be denying my identity and everything I stand for,” she says. “BA is a great brand. It has more work to do, yes, but that doesn’t stop me being proud.”