2014 Wwwbbpower-Inspiration.Com TALENT | SUCCESS | LEADERSHIP
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TALENT . SUCCESS . LEADERSHIP 2014 wwwbbpower-inspiration.com TALENT | SUCCESS | LEADERSHIP Welcome to the 2014 edition of the British Bangladeshi Power & Inspiration Here you will find 100 bright, ambitious and successful British Bangladeshi names across 19 categories demonstrating the dynamic, entrepreneurial, philanthropic, pioneering and innovative nature of this community. The 20th category of the 2014 list is the “People’s Choice” where for the first time the general public were invited to nominate their most inspirational British Bangladeshi. The judges are delighted to announce the 5 unsung heroes of this category who serve to remind us of the strength and courage of individuals and the potential for the future. We are often asked why we produce this list and the answer lies with the word “inspiration”. The next generation is rising fast and we aim to be at the forefront of this revolution. Recent studies have shown that in GCSE exams taken at the age of 16, Bangladeshi girls now outperform their peers. On its own this is an amazing sound bite of achievement, but imagine what more could be achieved by providing strong, powerful role models and mentors for young girls (and boys!) from across all industries and categories that the BB Power & Inspiration represents. That is why following the success of our recent lawyers networking event, we will be hosting a series of “inspirational events” under the BB Power & Inspiration banner throughout 2014 for sectors such business and enterprise, medicine, public service and the arts. Please keep checking the website for further details. As if that wasn’t enough, it has become tradition that we do a little extra and so this year, please take a look at the 10 inspirational Bangladeshi figures who live away from our shores but who demonstrate our values of talent, success, leadership and are exceptional role models for all. Thanks as always to the brilliant team that support and guide us in this mammoth task: the members of our judging panel, our dedicated advisers, volunteers and researchers and our sponsors and supporters. And congratulations to the 100 members of the 2014 British Bangladeshi Power & Inspiration, this is your list and your time to shine. wwwbbpower-inspiration.com Abdal Ullah & Ayesha Qureshi MBE New entry Founder & Editor 02 British Bangladeshi Power & Inspiration 2014 TALENT | SUCCESS | LEADERSHIP Business & Enterprise Politics Iqbal Ahmed OBE Lutfur Rahman Chairman and Chief Executive Executive Mayor of London The Seamark Group Borough of Tower Hamlets Iqbal leads the multinational Seamark Group The first directly elected Mayor of the of companies, which has a group turnover of London Borough of Tower Hamlets, having $250m and is the UK’s leading importer and been leader of the council for the previous processor of seafood. One of a few British two years, Lutfur climbed 15 places to 53rd Bangladeshis on The Sunday Times Rich List, on the Daily Telegraph's list of the Top 100 Iqbal has also set up the Non-Resident most influential Left-wingers. Bangladeshi Bank (NRB), a new bank for His Borough’s budget is the second largest in expats to invest in their homeland. the UK. Naufal Zaman Rushanara Ali MP Managing Director Shadow Education Minister Zamir Telecom Limited The Labour Member of Parliament for Zamir Telecom has soared to new heights from Bethnal Green and Bow and the first selling low-cost international calls to offering a British Bangladeshi elected to the House range of communication services. Naufal‘s of Commons, Rushanara is the Shadow company has seen incredible international Minister for Education. She is leading the growth, particularly in the Middle East. The Save Remittance Giving Campaign company has announced a new MBA calling on Barclays to reverse its decision scholarship programme with the Saïd Business on closing the accounts of money- School at the University of Oxford. transfer companies. Aref Karim Tulip Siddiq Hedge Fund Manager Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Prior to setting up Quality Capital Management, Aref worked at the world’s Tulip is Labour’s Prospective Parliamentary largest sovereign wealth fund, the Abu Dhabi Candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn. Investment Authority where he designed and Recognised for her strong stance against managed a multi-billion dollar portfolio of government cuts to the NHS, Tulip is a rising alternative investments. His Weybridge-based star of the Labour Party. hedge fund has been a huge success with She has also been campaigning recently on assets in the region of £150m according to the the impact of the proposed underground Sunday Times Rich List. ticket office closures. Ruby Hammer MBE Baroness Pola Uddin Makeup Artist and Entrepreneur Life Peer House of Lords Ruby has established a number of leading brands in the UK. Her ranges have become The first British Bangladeshi woman to some of the most innovative makeup brands enter the House of Lords, she continues to be established in thirty years. Ruby has to champion a range of initiatives and worked for publications such as Vogue and Elle during 2013 remained focused on magazine. Department store Debenhams organisations which promote women’s exclusively stock a "Ruby recommends" range participation in civil society and human of makeup in recognition of her status as a rights. house hold name. Shelim Hussain MBE Murad Qureshi AM Founder and Managing Director London Assembly Euro Foods Group Member Founder of Euro Foods Limited, a thriving In his third term as a GLA member, Murad business which has rapidly grown to has increased his responsibilities to cover employ over 200 staff, with food the Transport Committee and Heathrow processing units in Newport, Barking and Airport Consultative Committee. Sunderland. He also put forth a motion urging the The company also operates in Bangladesh Mayor of London to fully fund the London and New York and has an annual turnover Fire Brigade to stop the closure local fire of around £40 million. stations. British Bangladeshi Power & Inspiration 2014 03 TALENT | SUCCESS | LEADERSHIP Civil and Public Service Innovators Asif Anwar Ahmad Sharif Banna MBE Diplomat, British Foreign & Co-Founder and CEO, Awakening Commonwealth Office (FCO) Worldwide Asif is currently serving as Ambassador to the Sharif’s international media conglomerate is a Philippines, having previously been British by-word for innovation in faith inspired and Ambassador to Thailand and Laos. After a value driven media. In recognition of this, career in Banking, Asif joined the FCO where Awakening recently was awarded the he first worked in the Resources Directorate prestigious Islamic Economy Award by the Emir and then moved into foreign policy work on of Dubai. In addition, Sharif is also a board commonwealth issues. His previous roles also member of the international Qatar Foundation include Director Asia for UK Trade and based Centre for Islamic Ethics and Legislation, Investment. a leading centre for innovation in ethics. Mockbul Ali OBE Dr Miratul Muqit Diplomat, British Foreign & Wellcome Trust Senior Research Commonwealth Office (FCO) Fellowship in Clinical Science and Programme Leader A leading young diplomat, Mockbul has served as a policy advisor to three former Foreign Based at the University of Dundee, Miratul Secretaries. His recent diplomatic posting was has been awarded almost £1.9 million in Cairo during the Arab Spring. Previously from the Wellcome Trust to investigate the listed amongst the 500 most influential causes of Parkinson’s disease. This is Muslims globally, Mockbul is currently allowing Miratul to undertake completing a prestigious leadership programme groundbreaking research over the next 5 in international strategy before his next years that may lead to new breakthroughs posting. on how to diagnose and treat the disorder. Nahid Majid OBE Shakir Ahmed Chief Operating Officer Co-inventor of Skycopter Regeneration Investment Organisation at UK Trade and Investment Shakir designed and built the world’s Nahid is recognised as one of the top eminent first multicopter powered solely on Town Planners in the country. In her role at solar power, achieving the highest RIO, the government’s new high profile inward investment body, Nahid aims to raise billions thesis mark awarded in the history of of pounds from overseas to fund urban his University. regeneration projects in the UK and helped to The Project featured on the Discovery orchestrate the Prime Ministers recent trade Channel. He is in the process of filing mission to China. for a Patent. Anwar Choudhury Syed Ahmed Diplomat, British Foreign & Co-founder and CEO Commonwealth Office (FCO) Savortex Having found a gap in the market for low Currently a Director of corporate affairs in energy dryers, Syed developed the innovative the FCO, Anwar was the British High Vortex EcoSmart hand dryer. He has been Commissioner for Bangladesh in 2004, the shortlisted for the prestigious BusinessGreen first British Bangladeshi to hold the role. Leaders Awards and has won a string of He then served as Director international multinational clients. The Vortex is also the institutions in the FCO. He remains a world’s first hand dryer to achieve a Guinness popular personality with many British World Record title for drying the most pairs of Bangladeshis. hand’s using just 30 KJ of energy. Dr Halima Begum Dilara Khan Director of Education, East Chair and CEO, Pillar Productions Asia, British Council The creator and producer of the first ever British Bangladeshi reality show ‘Forgotten An experienced international development Roots’, Dilara continues her production manager, Halima is responsible for providing portfolio by creating the award winning show intellectual leadership on policy matters to ‘Maa Amar Maa’ celebrating motherhood and drive forward the British Council's education women’s contribution to their children, family, offer in 14 countries in East Asia. She has and society. Dilara has secured the Bangladesh extensive experience of working with license for the TV show ‘The Apprentice’ and international partners including the EU, UN, also is the President of the British Bangladesh World Bank and Asian Development Bank.