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Usha Kong Wins Community Leader of the Year


Posted: 19th August 2025 13:37

Winner in the Corporate LiveWire Global Awards 2024/25

Community leader for careers and social mobility projects across Tower Hamlets, Usha Kong’s career exemplifies a rare blend of innovation and resilience, as well as an innate commitment to social  responsibility. With nearly 40 years of experience across various sectors, Usha has established herself as a visionary who thrives in high  pressure environments, combining her drive for excellence with a talent for building lasting relationships with stakeholders and clients alike. Usha’s career began in the heart of the capital, where she honed her skills navigating competitive business landscapes. By 2003, she was ready to forge her own path and embarked on an entrepreneurial journey, founding and managing three successful ventures, including co-founding a social enterprise focused on empowering marginalised youth. This venture addressed critical gaps in youth development while developing greater community cohesion

Beyond her entrepreneurial endeavours, Usha has developed a robust expertise in corporate and social responsibility (CSR). The community stalwart has played a key advisory role for businesses  aiming to integrate CSR into their operations meaningfully, guiding them toward sustainable and socially responsible practices. Her  commitment to diversity and inclusion translates into consistent advocacy for creating diverse and inclusive work environments, understanding that a balanced and supportive workforce is essential to any organisation’s success. In addition to her CSR work, Usha is also a certified coach, master practitioner of neurolinguistic programming (NLP) and keynote speaker offering transformative lessons on resilience, self-belief and the value of seeking support. Working with expertise across multiple approaches allows her to engage with a broad array of clients, from individuals focused on personal development to executives seeking to elevate their professional impact. 

The judging panel praised Usha’s unyielding drive to create positive change. Her career reflects an exceptional ability to blend business acumen with a profound sense of social responsibility. Whether she is leading a community initiative, advising corporations, delivering a keynote speech, or working one-on-one with clients, Usha consistently demonstrates a winning combination of strategic vision and an undeniable empathy for the people she serves. Her lifelong dedication to excellence, innovation and empowerment makes her an invaluable asset to any community or organisation fortunate enough to work with her.