VV
THE LUXURY BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR ASIAN ENTREPRENEURS
2
ND
ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
ASIAN WEALTH M A G A Z I N E
SHALINI KHEMKA FINANCING THE FUTURE
HANEESH JANGRA
A CUT ABOVE
Mayank Patel My business: Imran Hakim
10 of the best business movies Can NLP help you achieve your dreams? ● Learn leadership skills today ● Start up, no matter what your age ● ●
AWA AWARDS 2014 REVIEW
VOL. 3 ISSUE 3 SUMMER 2014
KING OF CURRENCY
£4.99
A s i a n We a l t h M a g . c o . u k
1
Spirit defined. GTS: three letters that declare the concentrated essence of Porsche. Cars with increased power, enhanced specification and a direct link to our motorsports roots. Cars driven by individuals who always desire more.
The new Boxster GTS. Purist. Find out more at porsche.co.uk/boxstergts
Fuel consumption for the Boxster GTS in l/100 km (mpg): urban 12.7-11.4 (22.2-24.8), extra urban 7.1-6.3 (39.8-44.8), combined 9.0-8.2 (31.4-34.4 mpg); CO2 emissions: 211-190 g/km. The mpg and CO2 figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results, are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.
Contacts
VV
THE LUXURY BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR ASIAN ENTREPRENEURS
2
PUBLISHER Kalpesh Patel kp@media-36.com
ND
ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
EDITOR Jo Shorthouse jo@media-36.com
ASIAN WEALTH M A G A Z I N E
SHALINI KHEMKA FINANCING THE FUTURE
HANEESH JANGRA
A CUT ABOVE
Design & Art Direction Christine Sullivan
Mayank Patel My business: Imran Hakim
● ● ● ●
10 of the best business movies Can NLP help you achieve your dreams? Learn leadership skills today Start up, no matter what your age
AWA AWARDS 2014 REVIEW
AW_Cover_Summer2014Final.indd 1
VOL. 3 ISSUE 3 SUMMER 2014
KING OF CURRENCY
Photography Sanjay Jogia Rahul Khona Phil Bourne
£4.99
23/05/2014 12:27
Cover Mayank Patel Photography Eyejogia.com
Asian Wealth Magazine is the UK’s first and only luxury business magazine for Asian entrepreneurs, business leaders and professionals. Published quarterly and distributed nationally, AWM caters for a generation filled with high-flying, motivated and inspirational professionals who pride themselves in being creative and able to enjoy life and it’s pleasures in and out of the office. Each issue comprises of profile interviews, Q&As with British Asian entrepreneurs from up and comers to high-net-worth successful business individuals. Each issue is also packed with thought provoking business related articles, current affairs and dedicated sections for luxury travel, automotive, event previews and reviews. Enjoy. AWM is published by
Digital Marketing Manager Nemash Patel Editorial Contributors Pinky Lilani Melissa Stewart Nima Suchak Beth Holmes Andrew Stone Zeeshaan Shah Rajeev Sharma Jane Stanbury Dr Spinder Dhaliwal Pinnacle Advisory Services Varun Sharma Ellie Parsons Advertising Abby Ghafoor ag@media-36.com T: +44 (0)7748 983 331 Ash Krishnan ak@media-36.com T: +44 (0)7852 415 625 Office Support Team Beenta Patel Hema Patel
MEDIa
© Asian Wealth Media Ltd Suite 4B, 43 Berkeley Square Mayfair, London W1J 5FJ United Kingdom ISSN 2051-9230
www.AsianWealthMag.co.uk for all enquiries, please contact +44 (0)20 8406 8992 or email info@media-36.com AWM – Official Publication for:
All Rights Reserved No copy without the written consent of the publishers first given, can be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of in a mutilated condtion or in any unauthorised cover, by way of trade, or affixed to or as any part of a publication or advertising, literary or pictorial matter whatsoever. Asian Wealth Media publications are fully protected by copyright and nothing may be printed wholly or in part without permission. Every possible effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this publication is accurate at the time of going to press and neither the publishers nor any of the authors, editors, contributors or advertisers can accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, however caused. No responsibility for loss or damage occasioned to any person acting, or refraining from action, as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the editors, authors, the publisher or any of the contributors or sponsors.
4
A s i a n We a l t h M a g . c o . u k
Editor’sLetter
VV
ASIAN WEALTH M A G A Z I N E
Follow our lead WELCOME TO THE SECOND BIRTHDAY EDITION OF ASIAN WEALTH MAGAZINE! It was two years ago that we published the first issue of AWM, although the seeds of the idea – to launch a magazine for British Asian entrepreneurs that celebrated success stories along with inspirational figures and feature articles – were firmly planted in the mind of our publisher for a long time before that. Since that first issue, that featured Bav Patel and his Bentley on the cover, we have gone from strength to strength. Not such a skeleton team anymore, I think all our readers would agree that the design and content teams have done a wonderful job in making AWM the slick and stylish product it is today. That is definitely not to say that we have perfected our product, or given up learning. But the amount of Asia-focused magazines that have followed our lead since 2012 show that these kinds of products are needed in the market, and to say we did it first (some may say the original and the best!) is a triumph for us. Since 2012 we have featured Amir Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sanjay and Arjun Anand, Tasmin Lucia-Khan and many more. I’m delighted that our cover star this month is Mayank Patel. All of our featured interviewees have one thing in common – they have all showed tremendous leadership, whether it is in the arts, business or sport. We can all learn a lot from their stories of perseverance, self-belief and dedication; with a sprinkling of talent thrown in, of course. These qualities, coupled with a never-ending energy to better the product, are embodied by our own publisher, Kalpesh Patel. Without his search for perfection AWM would not be the magazine it is today. The idea came from the place where many ideas by the entrepreneurial mind come from – looking for a product and realising it didn’t exist. Spotting that gap in the market is a key starting point for any business. Today, ideas for complementary products and services surrounding AWM are in full swing. As Kalpesh has told me many a time: This isn’t a product, this is a movement. With talk of motion in mind, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our regular columnists that have been with us for two years, as well as our new breed of thought leaders that have recently joined our ‘movement’. I will be taking a few months off as I begin my next chapter as a new mum, but I will be eagerly reading the Autumn issue of AWM to see what our interim editor, Melissa Stewart, has in store. If you’d like to reach Melissa, you can contact her on ms@media-36.com.
Editor of Asian Wealth Magazine
A s i a n We a l t h M a g . c o . u k
5
Contents 10 10 A cut above From the cut-throat world of advertising to snipping seams for the international elite, Haneesh Jangra has established a tailoring brand for the new generation of movers and shakers. 15 Publisher’s diary 16 King of currency Mayank Patel, the granddaddy of the currencies business, now dedicates his time to mentoring, investing and waxing his Ferraris. He shares his inspirational story with AWM. 25 Master your email etiquette The internet has made the global virtual office a reality. We explain how you can ensure your business emails
8
16 do the job and don’t cause offence. 27 10 traits all great leaders have... and how to develop them Iconic leaders inspire and gain respect, be it in politics or in business. But what sets these particular individuals apart from their peers? 37 Fortune Footsteps Zeeshaan Shah keeps us up to date on business progress in the last two months. 39 Business NEWS 43 The Bookkeeper When deciding how to move your company to the next level it is natural to consider the stock market. However, think a while on some considerations before making the big move.
27 44 Financing the future Shalini Khemka talks about her journey from the corporate world to entrepreneurship and how her organisation for business owners, E2Exchange, can support SME growth. 49 Wonder Women! Pinky Lilani discusses the importance of ‘paying it forward’ when you’re a woman in a position of authority. 51 The fight to be fit TiE UK’s Dr Rajeev Sharma urges us to take a look at biology, adaptability and lifestyle changes to ensure that we are fighting fit at work. 57 The real Toy Story Imran Hakim shot to fame when he secured investment for his innovative soft
A s i a n We a l t h M a g . c o . u k
VOL 3 ISSUE 3
44 toy, the iTeddy. He tells AWM about his toy story and The Hakim Group. 60 Does your brain need a reboot? Neuro Linguistic Programming has been lauded as the future of entrepreneurial success. AWM takes a look at both sides of the NLP coin. 65 News Focus: Wealthiest UK Asians The most recent Sunday Times Rich List showed the changing and diverse nature of Asian wealth in Britain. 68 Age ‘aint nothing but a number But is that number important when you’re starting your own business? AWM finds out. 74 10 of the best motivational
A s i a n We a l t h M a g . c o . u k
95
57 business movies The big screen has been offering nuggets of wisdom, morality and advice for years, and sometimes in the most unexpected films. 76 The latest in luxury There is some indefinable quality about the new Kahn Range Rover TDV6 Vogue 600-LE Luxury Edition that makes it every bit as engaging to drive as it is to view. 80 Grand times in Grand Cayman Blending British and American sensibilities, this island grouping in the Caribbean is more than just a tax haven, as Varun Sharma finds out. 87 Serene Swiss perfection If, perhaps, the first six months of this
year have proven to be particularly stressful, why not indulge in a welldeserved stay at a spa. AWM reviews one of the best. 91 A brotherhood blend for high society The story of Chivas Regal is the story of entrepreneurship; of taking the best of what you do and seizing an opportunity. We look back at how it all began. 95 The social scene Reviews of the most glamorous events of the past two months. 104 Business directory 112 Upcoming events
9
10
A s i a n We a l t h M a g . c o . u k
cut
a
a b ove From the cut-throat world of advertising to snipping seams for the international elite,
Haneesh Jangra has established a tailoring brand for the new generation of movers and shakers. Photographs by Rahul Khona Many entrepreneurs start their business on a shoestring and Haneesh Jangra is no exception, £50, to be precise. “£50 and a dream,” he explains. “I bought myself a sample shirt and it evolved from there.” From humble beginnings his company, Oxborough Tailors, now caters to bankers in the City of London, West End media men, Asian royalty and fast-moving entrepreneurs, some of whom can only manage suit fittings in Heathrow Airport before dashing onto their next international meeting. “It is all part of the bespoke service that you won’t find on the high street,” he explains. All this makes for a 24/7 working life, and Haneesh loves it. Started in 2010, Oxborough Tailors is the amalgamation of the business and creative sides of Haneesh’s entrepreneurial mind. Growing up outside Maidenhead in Berkshire, his family ran Post Offices in the area and this planted the seeds for a career in business. “I worked in my parents’ shops every Saturday from when I was 13. In retrospect, I think it definitely had an effect on the way I saw myself and my career, though I didn’t know it until much later,” Haneesh recalls. He graduated from Southampton University with a degree in Corporate Communications and subsequently worked on integrated marketing
A s i a n We a l t h M a g . c o . u k
11
campaigns for large brands such as Mazda and Ferrari. While he thought that advertising was fun, Haneesh always knew that he wanted to start his own business. “You have to do what you enjoy, because only then will you do it well.” It was from here that the young entrepreneur started to put plans in place. “When my work colleagues were going out and getting drunk on a Friday and Saturday night I was there at home on my laptop researching the industry, contacting suppliers and putting my plans together,” he says. “I always liked my clothes and shoes, taking pride in my appearance. But if I ever bought a suit the jacket fitted like a tent! To get the correct arm length meant that the body was too big because I’m very tall and thin, so I solved my problem by making my own,” he explains. Of course, Haneesh is a very well-dressed man today, wearing one of his own creations, a well-groomed walking advert for his business. “I believe if I look like I take care of myself, my customers feel assured they too will be taken care of,” he says. In the beginning the business evolved organically. “It wasn’t the traditional route to market,” he says. He had worked over the internet with a few tailors from Thailand but was unhappy with the finished product; he realised that if he was to take this business seriously he would have to build it from the ground up, which meant understanding the intricacies of how the product was put together. Describing himself as a “very practical person”, it was a logical step for Haneesh to learn the tailoring trade himself, and where better than the world renowned Savile Row. Studying the art of tailoring through the Savile Row Bespoke Association, he spent the next year learning how to draft patterns, cut cloth, sew and hand-stitch to Savile Row standards. “I spent my last penny on it, but I had the best time learning the skills from the tailors, it was the most fun and worthwhile thing I ever did,” he says. “The training was very rigorous and a lot of people dropped out. If you got a tiny detail wrong, a snip in the wrong place, the whole piece was scrapped. Spending five hours a day hand-stitching buttonholes was intense and not everyone’s cup of tea!” he laughs. “But this is where the value is, it’s in the hand-stitch – you cannot recreate that with a machine.”
12
W
hen he started out, Haneesh felt like his business was a small dinghy being pushed around by the waves of the bigger ships in the sea. “I had to create a solid foundation to weather not only the economic downturn but an infrastructure that could sustain growth,” he says. With this in mind, Haneesh started working with British cloth merchants in Huddersfield and Scotland and a team of Savile Row-trained tailors, to ensure that the quality of his product was nothing short of excellent. This strategy worked, and only three years after starting Haneesh has grown a solid and sustainable business. Today, word-of-mouth referrals are the main source of new business. Many international businessmen from China, UAE, Japan and Russia come to the company looking for the status of a Savile Row
suit. American clients make up 70% of business on Savile Row, perhaps because of the ‘Downton Abbey’ effect. “The Chinese and Japanese clients love the history of Savile Row, at the moment they can’t get enough of tweed, it is such a unique British product, especially Harris tweed, a course wool with fantastic texture which is only made on the Isles of Harris,” he explains. As any good entrepreneur, Haneesh is full of ideas to expand the Oxborough brand, with Bollywood being a potential avenue, and his plans don’t stop there. “I started out as an independent tailor taking on bespoke commissions, but it has evolved into more than that. It is a brand now, and I’m looking to expand that through additional products such as cashmere knitwear, and accessories such as shoes and ties,” he explains. “The additional products are important for the future of the business.” Eventually,
A s i a n We a l t h M a g . c o . u k