entrepreneurs 17
Pictures by Angus Thomas
experienced a recession. Our motto is “we only succeed when our customers succeed”.
How else would you account for your success?
You don’t need a rich father or an elite education to be successful, what you need is self-respect, work ethics and above all, empathy for others. My mother instilled the right values in me. My wife was very important in my journey, as is my staff. I’m not an Oxford or Cambridge graduate but I’m blessed with common sense and with the help of common sense and making the most of men and material at my disposal, we have been able to achieve phenomenal success in a short period of time. Our country, Britain, is also very important. I’m very grateful to the British sense of tolerance and fair play and the opportunities that there are for people. This is a great country which is well-connected with the
world. I feel that we must think global and not local.
Sun Mark was recently awarded its fourth Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade – how important do you consider international trade to be?
When we were a nation of shopkeepers we managed to build an empire. We are a trading nation. Trade is our lifeline. We cannot think like little Englanders looking inward, we are a global player. Looking international is the only way forward and hidden talent is no talent. We have some wonderful products and services here and we really need to spread the word. You just need vision to get the maximum out of what is staring you in the face. We have connections with every country and enjoy more respect than any other country. I hope that our nation gets out of these difficult times and we can emerge as a very strong nation leading the world once again.
What are your plans for the future – for the business and for you personally?
The companies are still growing and if our turnover, now £150m, grows 30% more this year, that’s a huge growth. We’re building new offices, we’ll be taking on a lot more staff, we’ve opened a hub in Dubai, and the next move is to go to Miami so that we can serve the Caribbean Islands from there effectively. Now that we’ve tasted success and we like it, we’re going to keep going. For myself, the British market was a difficult one because there are big giants who have been established in this country for a long time. I, therefore, first went to all the places that they couldn’t reach, such as Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean, and built up my business there. Now I am coming back to the UK with a vengeance. We now have the financial muscle, the know-how, the reputation and the staff to take on the UK market. We’re launching new products in the UK and then we will also go to Europe. I want to write my biography with the title “From Nothing to Everything” as when I arrived
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – JULY/AUGUST 2012
in Britain, I had nothing. Now, I have everything. Rather than complaining about the weather and the Government and the taxes, I think we should see what we can do for ourselves and our country for a change.
What would you consider your greatest achievement?
The recognition from Her Majesty the Queen in 1999, when we received The Queen’s Award for Export. It is very difficult for me to explain. Here I was, an ordinary man who at one time had nothing, now standing in front of Her Majesty the Queen, it was wonderful. My wife was with me, which made it even more wonderful as we started our journey together. Receiving the MBE was also a very humbling experience. What more can a man expect in one lifetime? Sometimes I feel that the greatest thing that happened to me is that I came to this country. My history could have been totally different, I shudder to think.
Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions?
Ambition is very important. An ambitious person benefits his family, his community and his country. I’ve got many ambitions; to write a book is one and I also try to put back into society from where I’ve benefited so much. I do a lot of things; I’m founder and chairman of the Pakistan, India & UK Friendship Forum to improve social cohesion. I’m chairman of the British Sikh Association, which promotes interfaith dialogue. I’m chairman of the Golden Heart Club which raises money for research into heart diseases. I’m a patron of The Princes Trust, to help our youth. It is very important that we should not leave everything to the Government as we also have a share in the prosperity and progress of our country. I keep busy and enjoy the satisfaction I gain from my success. I’d like to leave a legacy for my children so that they appreciate that their dad was not just a money-making machine! He was a little bit more than that.
Details:
www.sunmark.co.uk www.businessmag.co.uk
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