JEWEL AWARD WINNERS 2007: SOUTHERN REGION
(15 September 2007)

Property developers Harjit Singh and Superna Sethi and Kettering Town Football Club Chairman Imraan Ladak were amongst the winners scooping honours at this year’s Lloyds TSB Southern Jewel Awards. The event, now in its fifth year, was held on Saturday 15th September 2007 at the London Hilton, Park Lane. The awards reflect the growing influence of the Asian community on the UK’s culture and economy and bolster Southern England’s reputation as a hub of Asian talent.

Truett Tate, Group Executive Director, Wholesale & International Banking, Lloyds TSB, said: “The success story of Britain’s Asian community continues unabated. Year after year, the shortlist for the Lloyds TSB Jewel Awards showcases an incredible array of talent and this year is no exception.” There are an estimated 200,000 Asian firms in the UK, generating wealth at a rate three times the national average - many of which are based in the South of England. Seven coveted Jewel Awards were announced from a short-list of 6,200 nominations. This year’s winners are:

The Entrepreneur Excellence Jewel Award:
Mr Harjit Singh and Miss Superna Sethi

The founders of Manhattan Properties began their extensive property portfolio by paying for a deposit on a £30,000 two-bedroom flat in Kenton with a credit card in 1994. Within six weeks they managed to redecorate, sell, and make a profit from the apartment. Between 1996 and 1999 Manhattan Properties went on to purchase and develop over 50% of the auction stock within the West London area.

Looking for further challenges, they decided to explore the Central London market and over the last 13 years have built an impressive portfolio of properties with their niche clearly being the “high end” market, offering bespoke properties for the elite, rich and famous. In 2003 they achieved over £1,000 per square foot in an apartment block in Mayfair and are presently accomplishing up to £2,000 per square foot.

The Business & Commerce Excellence Jewel Award:
Imraan Ladak

CEO of DRC Locums, Imraan acquired a 33% stake in the company when it was a small business supplying temporary and permanent staffing solutions to the NHS and private sector. Since then, annual turnover has grown from £800,000 to in excess of £24m, becoming the second largest supplier of Locum Doctors in the UK and catapulting him into the Times Young Rich List alongside Christiano Ronaldo and Ricky Hatton.

Imraan has also founded Locumlinx and IDR Marketing, which exceeded £5m in turnover within two years of incorporation. Imraan bought Kettering Town FC in 2005 – appointing Paul Gascoigne as manager – before turning the club professional for the first time in its 133-year history. He also established a youth academy and the club plays a role in raising money for charity and promoting opportunities in professional football for Asians.

The Healthcare & Education Excellence Jewel Award:
Dr Pampa Sarkar

Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Wexham Park Hospital, Dr Sarkar is recognised for her exceptional work within the medical sector and passionately devoted to the science of fetal medicine and as a clinician she has expanded the fetal medicine service at Wexham Park Hospital and introduced detailed fetal assessment and prenatal diagnosis by chorionic villus sampling. As a researcher, she is involved in the effect of prenatal stress on the fetus and on its development, and is researching into the possible mechanisms of stress transfer and the role of the placenta.

The Professional Excellence Jewel Award:
Hamid Yunis

A senior partner in the Finance & Projects team of the international law firm of Taylor Wessing, Hamid has become one of the world’s leading lawyers in the fast developing Islamic Finance industry and has acted on some of the largest deals completed in this area globally. Based in their City office, Hamid leads the Healthcare Infrastructure and Services Practice, which specialises in complex and innovative transactions in this sector. He also advises the Islamic Financial Services Board, the industry’s leading standard setting body.

The Public Service Excellence Jewel Award:
Raj Joshi

Crown Prosecution Service Director of Legal Practice and Quality Assurance, Raj has become one of the UK’s foremost Asian lawyers and a champion of equality and justice. As early as 1983, he argued for the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law, presaging the Government by 16 years. From funding his way through university and his barrister apprenticeship, to reaching Director level, he has become the highest ranking civil servant from a BME background in the CPS. Raj helped formulate and implement CPS policy, including looking at prosecution decisions for possible bias against BME communities. As head of the CPS European and International Division he developed policy on extradition issues, the European Arrest Warrant and the International Criminal Court.

Retail Food & Franchise Excellence Jewel Award:
Asif Rangoonwala

Asif is a successful business entrepreneur, who has a diverse array of interests spanning a range of sectors including food, property and sport. He is also the founder of UK-based Eurobuns Limited, a hugely successful venture in the industrial baking sector. He is also active in a number of prestigious organisations within the UK and abroad - these include being a fellow of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Trustee of the Whitefield Development Trust, Vice Chairman of Indus Entrepreneurs UK and Chairman of the World Memon Foundation.

Lifetime Achievement Award:
Ahmed Randeree

Mr Ahmed Randeree is the Founder of The DCD Group, including DCD London & Mutual PLC. Having moved from South Africa to the UK in the mid 1970's, Mr Randeree was instrumental in growing the group’s Apparel and Trade Finance business. Mr Randeree presided over the group when its turnover and operations grew from $2.5million in 1977 to over $150million by 1998. Recently, Mr Randeree has supported the business expansion into Real Estate, Asset Management and identifying niche Banking investments.

Mr Randeree was instrumental in the setting up of Bank Islami with Dubai Bank and Jahangir Siddiqui & Co and he serves as a Non-Executive Director of the Bank, listed on the KSE. Over the past 5 years in the UK, the DCD Group were founder shareholders in IBB (Islamic Bank of Britain plc) and EIIB ( European Islamic Investment Bank plc), both of which are listed on the London Stock Exchange. The Group also has a significant holding in Albaraka Bank Ltd of South Africa.

Click here for Jewel Award Winners 2007: Central Region.
Click here for Jewel Award Winners 2007: Northern Region.
Click here for Jewel Award Winners 2007: Southern Region.