Salon Owners Summit to feature Breaking Barriers panel discussion

Phorest has announced that its Salon Owners Summit 2025 will feature a panel discussion on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the hair and beauty industry.

Breaking Barriers: Black Beauty and Redefining Excellence will take place at the annual event, which is being held at the Dublin Royal Convention Center on 26 and 27 January 2025.

According to the salon software company, the discussion will bring together leading voices in the professional hair and beauty sector to tackle systemic inequities and reimagine excellence through a lens of  DEI .

Hosted by global education content lead at Phorest Alex Bélisle-Springer, it will explore challenges faced by Black hair and beauty professionals, entrepreneurs and consumers, including funding disparities and under-representation.

Panelists include Winnie Awa, founder/CEO of Carra; Keya Neal, founder of Kolour Kulture & Texture VS Race, colour educator, and DEI consultant; Tendai Moyo, founder/CEO of Ruka Hair; and Dija Ayodele, founder of West Room Aesthetics and Black Skin Directory.

Phorest said that building on McKinsey & Company’s 2022 report highlighting a $2.6bn opportunity in addressing racial inequity in the beauty industry, the discussion promises to spotlight actionable solutions for creating a more inclusive future.

“This panel isn’t just a discussion, it’s a call to action in which we all have a part to play,” explained Bélisle-Springer. “Regardless of their role in the industry, attendees will leave equipped with practical insights to drive impactful, lasting change, and set new standards of excellence fuelled by a commitment to serving all communities, especially those historically under-represented.”