Leeds businesswoman named one of top ten BAME female entrepreneurs in Europe

Charlotte runs two successful businesses, Yorkshire Academy of Film and Television and YAFTA Talent Agency in Leeds, while completing a Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology at Teesside University. She is also a single parent and works as a media and business psychologist.

Charlotte, 36, who launched YAFTA seven years ago when she was seven months pregnant with her daughter, has become a champion of fair representation across the media industry, encouraging on-screen representation of diversity.

Her YAFTA Talent Agency represents Emmerdale actor James Moore, who was the first disabled actor to win Best Newcomer at the National Television Awards, along with Coronation Street regular, Liam Bairstow who has Down’s Syndrome.

She also established the You Can scholarship at her acting academy, specifically aimed at encouraging people from under-represented groups and disadvantaged backgrounds to enter the industry.

Business Insider is celebrating female entrepreneurs from black, Asian and ethnic minorities who are breaking ground in their industries for creativity and innovation. Charlotte said: “It is an absolute honour to be featured in this list alongside such inspirational women.

“As someone who is mixed race, I am proud of my heritage and for a long time have championed fair representation for minority groups in the film and television industry. It now feels that there is a real opportunity and appetite for change in society to challenge racism, inequality and injustice.”