Speaker · Advocate · Leader
SegunIdowu
"[He] is among the most effective champions for Black Boston."
— Boston Magazine's 100 Most Influential Bostonians
Speaker · Advocate · Leader
"[He] is among the most effective champions for Black Boston."
— Boston Magazine's 100 Most Influential Bostonians
What Segun Speaks On
How to create pragmatic frameworks that address past harms and level the playing field for small businesses, minority-owned firms, and underserved communities.
How to lead with purpose inside organizations, government, and community — and build coalitions that create lasting, systemic change.
Connecting the long arc of Black history to the urgent work of today — honoring legacy while building what comes next for Black communities.
About Segun
Segun Idowu is an accomplished visionary, builder, speaker, and leader. A lifelong resident of Boston, he is a proud product of the Boston Public Schools. Following his graduation from Boston Latin Academy, he matriculated to Morehouse College where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in History with Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and Golden Key Society honors.
In 2014, Segun and his colleague Shekia Scott organized the Boston Police Camera Action Team (BPCAT), a community advocacy group whose successful efforts made Boston the first city to utilize body-worn camera policy that was largely written by the community rather than local police unions.
In November 2018, Segun began his tenure as the first President and CEO of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, Inc. (BECMA), the statewide advocacy organization for Black businesses. In this role, he helped transform the organization, including growing membership by 300 percent and helping to reshape the procurement process for Massachusetts, which led to contracts worth $500 million being awarded to minority-owned firms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, BECMA and its partners ensured that 50% of the roughly $700 million in pandemic aid provided by the Commonwealth was awarded to minority-owned firms.
From 2022 to 2026, Segun served as the Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion for Mayor Michelle Wu. In this position, he executed a vision of Boston as a resilient, economically equitable, and vibrant city that created opportunities for residents to build generational wealth. Notable achievements include providing $35 million in grants to 1,500 small businesses, with more than 70% identifying as minority-owned; establishing the most robust Legacy Business Program in the nation; creating the SPACE grant program, an ARPA-funded initiative to fill vacant storefronts in major commercial hubs that was heralded as a national model; launching the city's first Office of Nightlife Economy; and doubling the amount of City contracts awarded to diverse firms. Additionally, it was during his tenure that the city welcomed large firms like Eli Lilly, Hasbro, LEGO, EV Passport, Schneider Electric, QBlox, and other major companies as new tenants, bringing jobs and new investment to the region.
Among numerous awards, Segun has been recognized by Boston Magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the City of Boston" every year since 2020. The Boston Business Journal has listed him as a "Power 50 Movement Maker." In 2020, the Boston Globe recognized him on the front page of their Sunday edition as a "Man of the Moment" and as a "Bostonian of the Year."
Book Segun to SpeakSignature Talks
The VIRE Group
Segun's consulting and advisory work — spanning economic development strategy, supplier diversity programming, organizational development, and civic engagement — is led through The VIRE Group, LLC. Visit the firm's site to learn more and connect directly.
Visit The VIRE GroupBook Segun
Reach out to explore speaking opportunities — as a keynote speaker, panelist, workshop leader, narrator, or master of ceremonies. Every engagement is tailored to your audience and goals.