Dean Forbes' net worth, wife and homeless struggle as he's named UK's most influential Black person

Multimillionaire Dean Forbes was a 'twice-homeless failed footballer' before many years of hard graft saw him rise to the top and be named the UK's most influential Black person

Dean Forbes was just 14 years old when he found himself homeless for the first time - now, he's a multimillionaire and the most influential Black person in the country.

The former footballer has topped the annual Powerlist, which celebrates Black excellence across various industries, and replaced former British Vogue Editor-In-Chief Edward Enninful, who was number one last year. Speaking about the award, the business executive said: "To be named number one on the Powerlist is an incredible honour.

"My journey, from growing up in southeast London to leading global businesses, has shown me the power of resilience, the importance of community, and seizing every opportunity. I hope my story can inspire others from similar backgrounds to believe in their potential and work hard to achieve their dreams."

Dean grew up in a single-parent household on an estate in Lewisham, southeast London, and became a carer for his disabled mum as a teen. His mother always encouraged her children to be positive and gave them hope. At 14, they found themselves homeless, and again at 17, when they lost their family home and were forced into hostels.

But despite having little money, Dean had a "whale of a time" growing up. Dean, who is now CEO of tech brand Forterro, said: "My journey was shaped by those who believed in me and opened doors, and now I'm determined to pay it forward. I want to provide opportunities for young people who, like me, need that extra support to achieve their potential."

In his late-teens, Dean missed out on a career as a professional footballer, having once been on Crystal Palace's books, and amassed notable debts as he attempted to keep up with his free-spending pals, like Rio Ferdinand, who had made it as footballers. He was eventually left with a £88,000 debt pile and took up a job in a Motorola call centre to pay it off.

Twenty years of graft has seen him rise considerably up the ladder. Dean went on to lead a major software firm and is currently at the helm of Forterro, with an estimated net worth exceeding £40million. He has also been recognised for his community work via his foundation, Forbes Family Group (FFG), which he co-founded with his wife, Danielle Forbes.

The foundation invests in and supports young people from underrepresented backgrounds to thrive in the business world. Speaking about his philanthropic work, Dean said: "I don't feel what I do is extraordinary, to me it's normal." As well as helping his community, Dean has been able to buy his mum a home and his children have never had to deal with poverty.

Dean and Danielle share three children and have been together for 25 years. When they met, Danielle had her own flat and car and worked as an assistant, while Dean was looking for a job in sales. At the time, he was "very insecure" about finances, his wife Danielle shared in a TikTok on the FFG page.

She continued: "If I could sum Dean up in three words, I would say confident, kind and loving. He's the best version of a human being. Whatever he decides to do, he makes sure he is perfect at it. Whether it's being a husband, a father or the CEO of a software company." She added that it's a "pleasure" to do life with him as he constantly "motivates" those around him.

Dean previously told Business Chief: "I describe the start of my career journey as a twice-homeless failed footballer who found himself doing telesales to service a mountain of debt that he'd accumulated to keep up with football friends. I'm really grateful for that debt because it meant I had to fail at football quickly in order to get into the professional working environment."

The Powerlist, launched in 2005, was created to showcase Black role models to inspire young people. Today, it is widely regarded as the leading authority on issues of Black influence in the UK. In partnership with J.P. Morgan, the Powerlist honours incredible men and women across a diverse range of industries, including business, science, technology, and the arts.

Michael Eboda, CEO of Powerful Media, publisher of the Powerlist, said: "What really stood out, beyond Dean's impeccable track record in business, is how he's used his skills to truly give back, particularly by supporting community charities through his Forbes Family Group Foundation. The judges felt that, more than anyone, Dean had gone above and beyond in this area.

"He's unique and truly deserves to be our Number One. It's an honour to celebrate Dean and all of our incredible Powerlistees this year." Other figures in the Top 10 include Bernard Mensah, President of International at Bank of America and Chief Executive Officer of Merrill Lynch International (MLI), and Afua Kyei, Chief Financial Officer at the Bank of England.