Director Focus

from Lets Talk Business Hounslow & West London December 2021

The Big Interview

director

focus Inspirational leader

Perhaps it’s not surprising that Mustafa Erdem has enjoyed a successful career designing schools and colleges. His grandfather was a respected philanthropist who was the driving force behind the development of a school for 1,000 children in Turkey. This family link with education and Mustafa’s natural talent for drawing and design goes some way towards explaining his career path.

Initially, Mustafa studied landscape architecture at Ankara University but after moving to Germany in the early 90s he studied (building) architecture at Technische Universität Braunschweig. This was an incredible time to be studying and working as a designer, as he explains.

“It was just after the reunification of East and West Germany and this period provided huge opportunities for young architects like myself. I worked for an urban design company that was redesigning East German towns. This meant taking account of cultural and social considerations with the aim of designing something both useful and creative - I gained invaluable experience”

After marrying in Germany, Mustafa moved to London where he studied for a masters degree in urban design at UCL.

It was in London that he joined a company specialising in designing schools and community centres. He has not looked back since. He now works as a director for E&E Education using his extensive knowledge of the education sector to support the development of UK as well as overseas private schools and universities – helping them reach their maximum potential.

Amongst the many projects he has been involved with over the years, he is particularly proud of the West London Free School which opened its doors for the first time in 2011. It was a proud moment when his daughter and then his son went through the gates of the school he helped found and develop.

Most recently Mustafa has cofounded an independent SEN (autism) school, Easy Steps Education In Ealing - which had its full complement of pupils from day one. He believes the school makes a real difference to the provision of care and learning in West London and is confident of delivering two or three more similar schools in the coming years.

Providing inspiration

Hounslow Chamber of Commerce has been able to draw on Mustafa’s insight and inspiration for almost 10 years now – he was Chairman of the Board from 2013 -2015.

“I am one of the longest serving members now, and I have always felt that I am part of this community – and Hounslow is a wonderfully diverse community. My aim as a board member has always been to ‘add value’ where I can.”

And one of the specific areas he could add value when invited to join the board back in 2012 was in procurement. Mustafa was appointed Lead Member of the Procurement and Sustainable Supply Chain Forum.

I am one of the longest serving members now, and I have always felt that I am part of this community – and Hounslow is a wonderfully diverse community. My aim as a board member has always been to ‘add value’ where I can.

“There is often a lot of red tape hindering SME firms’ efforts to take part in government funded projects. I drafted a supply chain document for Hounslow Chamber of Commerce. The intention was to provide more information to people on how to approach procurement and to increase the visibility of SMEs in Hounslow”.

He adds that over the last 10 years he has met hundreds of creative and innovative SMEs in the borough and likes to think he has played a part in helping them secure both local council and public sector contracts.

digital dock Digital Dock Brentford

Digital Dock is Hounslow Council’s first affordable co-working space in the heart of Brentford. Supporting small businesses, freelancers and homeworkers looking for a creative, modern and inspiring space to work. Digital Dock will act as a hub for Brentford’s flourishing creative industries and provide much needed facilities for media and digital tech players.

Digital Dock has been developed in response to changes in how we are all working – digitalisation and globalisation had already driven radical shifts in how we worked, further accelerate by the pandemic, changing our working lives beyond anything we could have imagined. By delivering a cost effective, flexible working arrangement we aim to attract a range of people – from those adapting to hybrid models of working between home, office and co-work space, to those just looking to escape their kitchen tables, connect and be inspired.

The new space delivers a stylish, flexible and inclusive co-working space and collaborative hub for entrepreneurs, start-ups, micros or businesses needing a desk or meeting room or break out space at affordable prices. The digital studio provides a space for workshops or even professional content creation (photography, video and streaming).

We intend to bring people together and build a community by providing access to a great environment and excellent facilities. Digital Dock’s downstairs co-working area has desk space for 30 users, all benefitting from superfast fibre broadband, break out areas and kitchenette (with free tea and coffee); two meeting rooms are also available for hire (or time included as part of a package) on the ground floor. Four microoffices for one or two people will be available to rent on Digital Dock’s first floor, which also contains its own kitchenette and toilet.

Cllr Steve Curran, Leader of Hounslow Council “Helping Hounslow recover from the effects of the pandemic is one of our key priorities. We know that small businesses will have an important role to play in the borough’s economic growth and the space offered by Digital Dock should offer an important helping hand for start-ups and SMEs. We hope the Digital Dock will be the launching pad for local entrepreneurs to set them on their path to success.”

Digital Dock will build a space that boosts engagement between different communities and fosters a culture of networking and support by holding events and enabling people access to digital skills, business growth and capacity building training. We purposefully located the new hub in the town centre, responding to the vision documents co-created with the local communities through our Reimaging the Town Centres project – converting a two storey vacant shop on Brentford High Street, bringing in footfall and further spend. The co-working space offers Pay as you go, monthly and annual flexible contracts through an online booking system with the option to book workstation desks, hire private offices, meeting rooms and the digital studio.

A most successful Business Breakfast was held at the Digital Dock in November, with around 30 guests. Tours were offered and all were impressed with the facilities. More breakfasts will follow in 2022.

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