Winners Revealed for EDI Recognition List 2025 and the Rhema Dapaah Award

The BAME Planners Network, in collaboration with the Royal Town Planning Institute, proudly presented the inaugural Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Recognition List 2025 and the esteemed Rhema Dapaah Award at the End of Year Social on 29 January 2026.

This special event celebrated the remarkable achievements of four EDI Champions, ten Rising Stars, and three recipients of the Excellence in Mentoring and Role Models recognition. In addition, one organisation won the highly esteemed Rhema Dapaah Award, two were highly commended, and a further two were finalists. Nominations were open to planners working in the UK and Ireland and were assessed by a panel of judges.

EDI Champions: 

• Esra Abd Elrahman

• Peter Kemp

• Sophie Stanton

• Dr. Victoria Hills MRTPI FICE FRSA MCMI

Rising Stars:  

• Aniruddha Kamerkar

• Cleo Che Tsun Au MRTPI

• Malachi Ward

• Mehul Banka

• Mohammad Ahmed

• Nouvella Kusi

• Ramona Kayindu MRTPI

• Sunayana Ramanand MRTPI

• Tsz Lam (Annice) Lui

• Usamah Iqbal MRTPI

  
  

Excellence in Mentoring and Role Models: 

• Cathy Munonyedi

• Hashi Mohamed

• Sunil Sahadevan MRTPI

The Rhema Dapaah Award:

This award is presented to an organisation that has demonstrated progress towards achieving diverse and inclusive work practices and workforce or has contributed immensely to EDI in Planning.

• Winner: DP9

• Special Mention: Eversheds Sutherland

• Finalist: AECOM and Quod

The Network expressed gratitude to Stonehouse Recruitment Group and the RTPI for sponsoring the End of Year Social and heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended. In 2025, we will continue to collaborate with our partners to advance EDI in planning and would like to invite like-minded organisations to reach out for future partnerships.

For more information on joining or supporting the BAME Planners Network, please visit our website: https://www.bameplanners.org/get-invovled

The event photos can be downloaded directly here.