ZAHID KASIM

When Zahid Kasim left the bank at which he'd worked for 16 years, he planned to use his severance pay to open a restaurant. However, shortly after his departure from the bank, disaster struck and the bank collapsed, depriving him of not only his severance pay, but all of his savings.

Thirty seven and penniless, Zahid turned to his family to help him realise his vision. They gave him start-up capital and Café Lazeez opened in South Kensington in 1992. The first six months were not promising, but Zahid's fortunes turned around when glowing reviews began to appear in the press and the restaurant won several awards. Since then, Zahid has opened three more restaurants in London and Birmingham and has a turnover of £3.5 million.

Ha says "Money hasn't been a great motivator in my life. For me, the most exciting part is creating some thing that has value. If I can achieve that, then hopefully I will be a happy person".

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