Iqbal AhmedOBE(Bengali:ইকবাল আহমেদ;born 4 August 1956) is aBangladesh-born British entrepreneur. Based inManchester,he made his fortune importing shrimp. His two companies, Seamark and Ibco, have extensive interests inshipping,hotel and real estate development,hospitality,and food. Their success turned him into one of the United Kingdom's richest men. He is also the highest rankedBritish Bangladeshito be featured on theSunday TimesRich List.
Iqbal Ahmed | |
|---|---|
ইকবাল আহমেদ | |
| Born | 4 August 1956 |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Citizenship | British |
| Alma mater | City College Westminster |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Years active | 1992–2020 |
| Style | Food processing |
| Title | Chairman and Chief Executive ofSeamark Group[1] |
| Website | www |
Early life
editAhmed was born inBalaganj Thana,Sylhet District,East Pakistan(nowBangladesh).[2]In 1971, at the age of 15, he moved to the United Kingdom. He attended the City College inWestminster,and a few years later he joined his family's business located inOldham,which his brothers Kamal and Bilal joined later after the business expanded.[citation needed]
Career
edit
Since March 1992, Ahmed has been CEO of theSeamark Group,which he founded with his brothers. The company Ibco is a supplier to the catering trade, and Seamark is the frozen-food processor. He also owns a hotel development, aThairestaurant and bar called the Vermilion and Cinnabar (opened 14 November 2007), on Hulme Hall Lane which is worth £5 million, close to theCity of Manchester Stadium.[3]
In 2004, Seamark and Ahmed's brothers made a combined profit of £5.1 million on £108 million.[4]The Ahmed family featured in theSunday TimesRich List 2006,listed at number 511 with a total net worth of £110 million.[5]In 2007, however, the rank fell to 574, and in 2008 to 644 at £120 million.[6]Ahmed and his brothers were twice listed at number 20 in Top 20 richest Asians in UK with a net worth of £88 million in 2006,[7]and of £90 million in 2007.[8]
Ahmed and his family's Manchester-based business has a £200 million revenue across the city, with a workforce of 2,000 in Bangladesh, which is where he was born.[7]The products are exported across Europe andAmerica,[4]as popular brand names such as Mr Prawn, Lily, Classic and Tiger. In 2001, a new sales office was created in the United States to distribute products in North America, located inNew Jerseyand inBrooklyn,New York City.[9]He is popularly known as 'Mr Shrimp' or 'King Prawn' by the British community.[10]
In 2006, Ahmed was nominated by The British Frozen Food Federation to represent their interest and concerns as a member of the Ethical Trading Champions' Group, which was set up as part of the Government's Food Industry Sustainability Strategy.[11]
In 2007, Ahmed was invited to join an economic think tank, the New Enterprise Council, byGeorge Osborne.Over the years he has played an active role in a number of government committees and advisory bodies. They include theDepartment of Trade and Industry's Southern Asia Advisory Group; the Competitiveness Council and theBritish Council's BOND initiative, which provides UK companies with low-cost introductions to potential business partners in key developing international markets.[11]
Awards and recognition
editIn 2001, Ali was appointed anOfficer of the Order of the British Empire(OBE) in the2001 New Year Honoursfor his services to international trade.[12]
Ahmed was recognised for services to import and export at the Legends of Industry Award at theHiltonManchester Deansgate hotel. In June 2012, he won the international entrepreneur of the year category inErnst & Young's North region Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, held at TheLowry Hotel.[13]In January 2013 and 2015, he was nominated for the Businessman of the Year award at theBritish Muslim Awards.[14][15]In December 2014, he was awarded by theUK Trade & Investment(UKTI) for contributing to Britain's export.[16]
Personal life
editAhmed lives inWilmslow,Cheshire. His brothers Bilal and Kamal live nearby. His hobbies include travelling, playing golf, tennis and swimming.[9]
Ahmed also runs his own foundation to help and improve the lives of the poor in his native Bangladesh and is also the founder chairman of theNRB Bankproject to support non-resident Bangladeshis in their contribution to the country's economy.[13]In 2014, he set up a secondary school and college inSylhet.[16]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Iqbal Ahmed".Bangladesh-British Chamber of Commerce.Retrieved4 April2009.
- ^Foster, Peter (2 December 2006)."Britain's Bengalis stage great curry takeaway".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved4 April2009.
- ^Barry, Chris (22 October 2007)."Iqbal's £25m blueprint".Manchester Evening News.Manchester.Retrieved4 April2009.
- ^ab"32. Iqbal, Kamal and Bilal Ahmed: £100m (£95m)".Manchester Evening News.Manchester. 31 May 2005.Retrieved4 April2009.
- ^"The Ahmed Family".The TimesRich List 2006.Retrieved4 April2009.[dead link]
- ^"2008 Rich List Search".The Sunday TimesRich List 2006.Retrieved4 April2009.[dead link]
- ^ab"Top 20 richest Asians".The Daily Telegraph.19 April 2006.Retrieved4 April2009.
- ^Moulds, Josephine (8 May 2007)."Top 20 Richest Asians".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved1 August2015.
- ^abKarim, Mohammed Abdul; Karim, Shahadoth (July 2008).British Bangladeshi Who's Who(PDF).British Bangla Media Group. p. 155.Retrieved4 April2009.
- ^Zaman, Tamara (16 October 2008)."British Bangladeshis who have made a mark".New Age Xtra. Archived fromthe originalon 30 October 2008.Retrieved4 April2009.
- ^ab"Seamark hosts PM visit".Manchester Evening News.Manchester. 9 January 2012.Retrieved1 November2014.
- ^"Iqbal wants corporate culture in Bangladeshi business community".The Asians. 6 December 2010.Retrieved1 May2012.
- ^ab"Seamark Boss Iqbal Ahmed honoured".Manchester Evening News.Manchester. 22 November 2012.Retrieved1 November2014.
- ^"Winners honoured at British Muslim Awards".Asian Image. 31 January 2013.Retrieved1 August2015.
- ^"British Muslim Awards 2015 finalists unveiled".Asian Image. 23 January 2015.Retrieved1 August2015.
- ^ab"UK-Bangladeshi Iqbal Ahmed gets UKTI award".Bdnews24.Bangladesh. 4 December 2014.Retrieved1 November2015.
External links
edit- Seamark Group website
- Iqbal AhmedonBritish Bangladeshi Who's Who
- Barry, Chris.Talking Business with Iqbal Ahmed.TheBusinessDesk.19 March 2014