About ADI
The African Development Institute exists to support Black people in moving from surviving to thriving — living and leading with confidence, agency, and possibility. ADI builds on the strength, wisdom and leadership of Black people throughout history, supporting members to draw on this lineage as a source of confidence, agency and possibility.
ADI is a community-based leadership organisation. We work across three interconnected areas — membership, leadership development, and working with organisations — each rooted in the same set of constitutional values.
What ADI Is — and What It Is Not
ADI Is
- A developmental community and institution
- Values-led and purpose-driven
- Rooted in the strength, wisdom and leadership of Black people throughout history
- Built on trust, relationship and shared learning
- Focused on confidence, agency and collective advancement
ADI Is Not
- A sales platform or referral network
- A route to personal consultancy opportunities
- A programme that starts from deficit or treats Blackness as a problem
- A diversity consultancy or quick-fix provider
- An organisation that waters down its purpose for comfort
Our Constitutional Values
The following principles act as constitutional filters for any future idea, programme, partnership or offer. If these principles are weakened, ADI ceases to be itself.
Psychological safety comes first — If safety, trust or belonging are undermined, the idea does not proceed.
Development before extraction — ADI exists to develop people, not to use them. Participation must be ethical, optional and growth-enhancing.
Growth with dignity — Stretch is invited, not imposed. Accountability is consent-based.
Clarity without hierarchy — Pathways are clear and distinct without ranking worth.
Opportunity without entitlement — Access is based on readiness, alignment and fit, not proximity or expectation.
Stewardship over personality — ADI must be able to thrive beyond individual leaders while remaining true to its values.
Integrity over scale — Growth must not erode relational depth, cultural integrity or purpose.
The Founders
Pam Rowe
Co-Founder & Director
African Development Institute
Pam Rowe is a leadership development practitioner, facilitator, and community builder with decades of experience working at the intersection of personal development, organisational change, and racial equity. She founded ADI from a deep conviction that Black people in the UK deserve developmental spaces that honour their heritage, challenge them to grow, and refuse to compromise on values.
Her work draws on a rich tradition of African-centred thought, systemic leadership practice, and a commitment to creating containers in which transformational work can happen.
Marcia Daigo
Co-Founder & Director
African Development Institute
Marcia Daigo is an executive coach, leadership development consultant, and organisational development specialist with over 15 years of experience across the NHS, public sector, and voluntary organisations. She co-founded ADI from the conviction that lasting leadership is built on multiple levels — psychological, emotional, professional, and practical — and that Black people deserve developmental spaces where this depth of work is the starting point.
Her practice combines values-driven leadership development with organisational insight, supporting individuals and teams to strengthen confidence, navigate complexity, and lead with clarity and accountability.
Want to know more?
We'd love to hear from you. Whether you have questions about ADI or want to explore how we might work together.