Dean Forbes, who experienced homelessness twice as a teenager before becoming a multimillionaire entrepreneur, has been named number one on the Powerlist 2025, which celebrates the most influential Black Britons.
Forbes, now the CEO of Swedish software company Forterro, began his journey far from the corporate world. After his aspirations to become a professional footballer were dashed, he started his career in a call centre. From humble beginnings on a housing estate in Lewisham, South-East London, he climbed from “abject poverty” to the top of the business world, now leading companies that generate hundreds of millions in revenue.
Reflecting on the honour of topping this year’s Powerlist, Forbes called it a “professional and career high.” In an interview with the BBC, he described how his disabled mother, raising him and his two brothers alone, instilled hope and resilience in them despite their challenging circumstances. “We didn’t have much, but we had a community that looked after each other,” he said. His mother taught them to “raise our expectations” and “never be victims,” helping them overcome adversity with a positive outlook.
Forbes’ story of perseverance includes being homeless twice as a teenager, but he and his family always saw those experiences as temporary setbacks. His dream of playing football professionally also didn’t materialise after a brief stint with Crystal Palace Academy. Yet, Forbes considers this a pivotal moment that sparked his determination to succeed in business.
“That rejection put me on this path, which has exceeded my wildest dreams,” he explained. After accumulating a significant debt of £88,000 while trying to keep up with friends like Rio Ferdinand, he took a job at a Motorola call centre to start paying it off. This job became the launchpad for his career in software, where he quickly rose through the ranks. His first big break came when he helped build up Primavera, a software firm that was later sold to Oracle, netting him his first millions thanks to an equity stake.
Forbes went on to lead multiple software firms, including KDS and CoreHR, each time making further millions through equity stakes. Now, as CEO of Forterro, Forbes oversees a company with annual revenues exceeding €300m (£250m) and earnings of €130m.
Despite his wealth, Forbes says he remains grounded and values “every pound.” One of his proudest moments was buying a home for his mother, ensuring that his children never have to experience the same struggles he faced growing up.
Today, Forbes counts public figures like Rio Ferdinand and actor Idris Elba as close friends, but he stays deeply connected to his roots. Alongside his wife, Danielle, Forbes established the Forbes Family Group, a philanthropic organisation aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty in underserved communities by offering role models and opportunities for those who start with fewer advantages.
“There’s so much untapped talent in these communities,” Forbes said. “You just need to open the door a crack and give people a chance.”
He hopes to make business success more relatable to young Black Britons, noting that growing up, most successful Black people he saw were either in entertainment or sport, or involved in criminal activities. Through mentoring and networking initiatives, Forbes wants to offer a different narrative and help others follow in his footsteps.
Dean Forbes now succeeds British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful at the top of the Powerlist, which has been published annually since 2007 by Powerful Media to highlight positive role models for young Black people across the UK.
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