ABCC


Updates and useful information from the largest ethnic support organisation in the UK


Contact: Anjum Khan T: 0845 603 6650


ABCC Awards shortlist shows abundance of business talent


The shortlist has been announced for this year’s Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) annual dinner and awards, which takes place on 2 December. There are three businesses shortlisted for each


of the seven categories, which include: • Outstanding People Development • Outstanding Small Business of the Year • Outstanding Large Business of the Year • Outstanding Start-up Business of the Year • Outstanding Business Woman of the Year • Outstanding Customer Service of the Year • Outstanding Contribution to Society.


The final category is ‘Overall Business of the


year’, which will be chosen from the winners of the above. Sponsored by Birmingham Airport.


Other sponsors are: • BCU (Outstanding Small Business of the Year • Mazars LLP (Outstanding Large Business of the Year)


• Rational FX (Outstanding Business Woman of the Year)


• South & City College (Outstanding People Development)


• West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets (Outstanding Contribution to Society).


HSBC and Doug Wright T/A McDonald’s are headline sponsors and East End Foods are the table décor sponsors. This year’s event – which celebrates ABCC’s


30th anniversary - has been moved to a larger hall at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, after organisers anticipated a huge demand for tickets. The event has also adopted Ronald McDonald


House in Birmingham as its chosen charity. Ronald McDonald House provides free


accommodation to 66 families with children under treatment at the nearby Birmingham Children’s Hospital, enabling them to stay together close to the hospital and maintain a degree of normal family life.


Those shortlisted for the awards are:


Outstanding People Development Alison Delaney Alison runs a life coaching business, aimed at people of all ages and backgrounds. This year she launched the ‘Rise Up!’ venture, which aims to connect women across the country with likeminded individuals, with the intention of overcoming the obstacles standing in the way of their dreams.


Beacon Organisational Development A personal development company which helps people reach their desired goals. The business is


46 CHAMBERLINK November 2017


run by Dr Neslyn Watson-Druee, who is intending to spend the next three years expanding in the West Midlands region.


Hotel du Vin A top city centre based hotel which has developed through investing in people, despite being in a business known for high staff turnover. During the past two years, many of the hotel’s management team have progressed to senior roles, as a result of personal development plans created for them.


Outstanding Small Business of the Year Escape Live A business with a difference – it’s all about escaping from somewhere. It first opened in Birmingham three years ago, and has two rooms from which players must escape, one of which involves completing a Sherlock Holmes-style investigative process. The business is now rated as one of the top ten escape rooms in the country.


Kingsland Business Recovery An insolvency services company which began operating in 2011 and has since gone on to launch a business development division. They have also introduced a range of new services, including cost auditing and cost management. Turnover has increased year on year, and is now around £850,000 (2016).


Motorserv UK Solihull This is a car service and repair business, which was launched in 2014. Despite its young age, the company was named as ‘UK Best Garage’ at this year’s Automechanika show at the NEC, beating off stiff competition from hundreds of other garages throughout the UK.


Outstanding Large Business of the Year Al Rayan Bank A Sharia compliant bank which caters for people of all faiths. It was more than 200 employees and is based in Edgbaston, Birmingham. The bank has grown steadily over the years, and as part of this has been attracting customers in record numbers – during 2016, new accounts were opened at the rate of 44 per day, on average.


ISA Support Services This is a security services provider based in Birmingham, which began trading six years ago with an initial investment of just £4,000. Today, it has more than 100 employees and a turnover measured in millions of pounds, and has also opened new offices in London and Manchester.


Elster Metering Ltd (part of Honeywell Smart Energy UK) Elster has its roots in a gas business founded by Ernest Jeavons in Tipton in 1919, but was also involved in electricity metering from the 1930s, when it was part of GEC. In recent times it has developed a new range of Smart meters for homes, and also newly designed gas meters used in commercial premises. The firm has experienced dramatic growth in the past three years.


Outstanding Start-up Business of the Year Ex-Forces Recruitment As the name suggests, this business is involved in the recruitment of ex-forces personnel into highly skilled jobs. It works as a co-operative, and it hasn’t lost a single employee since its launch in 2016.


Fireflies Nursery Ltd Fireflies was set up to provide more places for disadvantaged two year olds in Smethwick, one of the poorest areas for children’s achievements at the age of five. Fireflies aims to break the social mobility cycle and provide equal opportunities for all.


NA Consulting This is a consultancy formed last year by experienced management consultant Naeem Arif, who already counts automotive giant Jaguar Land Rover among his clients. NA, which now has three further consultants, also aims to help small to medium enterprises (SMEs) develop as businesses.


Outstanding Business Woman of the Year Angela Bir (Park Hall Hotel) Angela started her business career at the age of 21 and went from owning a hotel to building a portfolio of many businesses, including Park Hotel in Wolverhampton. This is a Grade II listed Georgian mansion, which has been subject to a major £5m refurbishment.


Raj Tutt (Resolve Legal) Raj is a lawyer who spotted an unusual business opportunity five years ago – acting in defence of high-powered barristers. Her opportunity came about due to the rise in barrister complaints – however, Raj also takes cases at the other end of the scale, heling the most vulnerable in society.


Sukhi Johal (RSM) Sukhi was promoted to partner at her firm, RSM, after helping develop the business’ corporate finance activities. Among key contracts she has delivered was the £80m refinancing of a hospitality and leisure client.


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