http://www.nwda.co.uk/pdf/EMBF-Brochure%201

Ethnic Minority Business Forum North West “To ensure that ethnic minority enterprise development is integral to strategic planning and its policy by holding public bodies to account through their delivery, procurement and funding.”

Vision The vision of the Ethnic Minorities Business Forum North West (EMBF NW) is:“To build on an outstanding enterprise culture where the North West is internationally recognised and held up as a beacon for generating world class BME businesses, which continues to outperform the rest and generate significant wealth and jobs for the economy.”

Role and Structure A Major opportunity for Improvement...

The EMBF NW is the key policy advisory and strategic body

responsible for the development of sustainable BME business in the North West region and has the overarching responsibility

A significant proportion of the BME business population still

for shaping, challenging and informing regional economic

has a major opportunity to make an even greater contribution

and enterprise policy development and practice.

to the regional economy. BME businesses have succeeded to date, despite facing obstacles such as lack of access to

The EMBF NW provides strategic leadership and strategic

finance and government business support structures, cou-

policy advice to key regional decision makers and stake-

pled with a lower level of skills.

holders in order to empower Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) businesses to maximise their full potential for the benefit of

72% of the indigenous population is economically active

the region’s economy. EMBF NW strategic partners and

versus 52% of the BME population. Research suggest this

stakeholders are NWDA, Business Link Northwest, Learning

represents a massive 48,000 BME people who are not

& Skills Council and UK Trade & Investment.

economically active. The RES has identified that the North West region needs to get another 80,000 people contributing

EMBF NW comprises a number of voluntary board members

to reach the national employment average and close the

whose task it is to drive policy making activities and ensure

GVA gap. Hence, this BME grouping could therefore make a

good governance. In this role, the board provides the EMBF

big contribution in helping the North West reach its targets,

NW’s interface with key strategic partners at national and

if it could become economically engaged.

regional level.

A significant share of the BME population is earning The EMBF NW board draws upon the expertise of individuals who have a wealth of experience from the private and public

approximately 55% of the national average, due in part to lack of opportunity, lower skills base and discrimination. The RES has identified a £10bn GVA gap in the area of productivity,

sector in BME business issues.

which can partially be addressed by the up-skilling of BME The EMBF NW has strong, direct links to the BME business

businesses - both owners and employees.

community through its board members and delivery partners.

Its thinking and policy development will continue to be shaped and informed by a close affinity to grass roots BME businesses in the North West.

Meet the Partners

Securing greater access for more BME businesses to international markets and government procurement markets will lead to further growth for the North West’s economy.

Kewell Dass Partner LSC

Clive Drinkwater UK Trade Investment

Peter Jamieson Jobcentre Plus

Val Jones Social Enterprise NW

Ayyub Patel Partner Network for Network

Anna Rothrey Migrant Workers NW

Yvonne Sampson Partner NWDA

Peter Watson Business Link NW

North West Context The Current North West Picture

EMBF FOCUS Pillars of Activity Business Developing new enterprise and growing existing companies.

Improving international competitiveness.

Skills & Education l The current North West BME population accounts for 5.6% of the

Meeting the skills needs of sectors and growth opportunities - essential to support expansion. Investing in workforce development - the development of intermediate and higher level skills in the current workforce is a key driver of productivity and economic growth.

regional population, which is less than the 7.9% national representation. l The region’s BME population of working age is 230,000 people.

l The regional BME population is concentrated, with 47% located in the 5 Local Authorities of Manchester,

People & Jobs Growing local employment – in areas remote from growth as well as already successful areas.

Infrastructure Ensuring planning supports sustainable growth. Encouraging public and private Investment.

Quality of Life Developing the sense of community in the Northwest – including community cohesion. Developing culture and image.

Blackburn & Darwen, Preston, Pendle and Oldham. l A significant percentage of the BME community live and work in

EMBF NW & The Regional Economic Context

some of the most deprived wards in these areas. l There are 19000 BME businesses, employing 56000 workers of which 45000 are from the BME community. l Most BME businesses are small, with less than 5 people and many are family owned ventures/businesses. l The majority of BME employees work for mainstream organisations.

The vision of the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) is “To transform England’s North West through sustainable economic development into a competitive, high added value, knowledge based, inclusive economy”.

It is one of the key drivers of economic development in the North West. It links into the overarching Northern Way Strategy and the City Region Development Plans, which are central to strengthening the North’s economy.

Also, feeding into these plans is the recently announced Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) from the Office of Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), which will provide sustainable investment support to the most deprived areas in the North West (as determined by the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund) through the Local Authorities, in partnership with the North West Development Agency (NWDA) and Government Office North West (GONW).

The RES has identified that the region’s Gross Value Added per head of the NW is still 12% lower than that of England - resulting in an output gap of £13bn.

As the RES is currently under review and the LEGI being planned, EMBF NW will seek to provide policy input to these areas of activity through dialogue with the relevant authorities and strategic partners to bolster the support for BME businesses.

To Add Significant Value To The North West’s Regional Economy

l l l l l l l l

BME's population forecasted to grow as a percentage of working age population as a whole BME's By 2009, 50% of growth in UK workforce will come from BME communities BME's Many new high skilled jobs will be created in city areas, including where BME communities mainly reside BME's Business community will continue to play a pivotal role in driving regional economy forward EMBF NW is working with strategic partners to ensure effective business support, EMBF NW will ensure skills & development of owner managers and workforce EMBF NW will be strategic in supporting effective internationalisation/procurement opportunities EMBF NW Focusing on the above research has estimated an additional contribution of £1bn to the region's GVA.

Meet The Board Members Dr Nighat Awan O.B.E. Shere Khan Group

Tahir Mohsan Time Group

Marilyn Comrie OBE Leadergen

Olive Strachan Olive Strachan Resources

Lisa Tse Sweet Mandarin

Haziq Arshad Halliwells

Nighat counts four highly successful and very diverse companies amongst her business achievements, encompassing fashion, floristry and food. She is currently CEO of the Shere Khan Group of restaurants and curry products.

Tahir is the founder of the Time brand of computers, now manages an investment vehicle involved in the IT and property industry across the Europe, Middle East and Asia and has significant investments in the IT sector. These range from hardware manufacturing and sales, internet services, software development and ‘Voice over IP’ technology. They aim to invest in companies that provide good medium to long-term growth, which can eventually be realised either through trade sales or management buyout.

Marilyn Comrie is the inspirational founder and CEO of LeaderGen, a consultancy with a reputation for grooming women and ethnic minority individuals into senior management or board level positions through their proven brand of Transformational Leadership Coaching.

Olive Strachan founded Olive Strachan Resources / Consultancy in 1998 and has built a formidable reputation as an outstanding trainer developing both individuals and the businesses in which they work.

Lisa worked as a financier with Thomsons Financial plc in the City of London and eventually went on to set up a recruitment company to service the needs of this blue chip client. Since then she has followed in her family's footsteps and set up the award-winning Sweet Mandarin restaurant in Manchester with her two sisters.

Haz is a Corporate Solicitor and has worked in Halliwells (London and Manchester) since 2005, focussing on company start-ups, restructurings and M&A.

Nighat is equally well known for her tireless charitable activities.

In Summer 2004 Nighat was awarded the O.B.E. (Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in recognition of her services to export and to charity.

LeaderGen’s innovative and valueadded approach enjoys the trust of a discerning and demanding global clientele. Its clients range from international blue chip companies, Central Banks and Government ministries to development agencies and prestigious organisations.

Olive and her team have travelled throughout the UK and around the world to deliver OSR’s services to clients in their local, national and international operations, including Switzerland, Portugal, France and the Middle East. Olive won the EMBF/NW Award in March 2009 for Achievement in International Business.

Salim Uddin-Khandakar Salutions Ltd

Shazan Qureshi Rejuvenate Group

Shirish Singapori First Choice Homes

Mirza N Hamie Modern Packaging

The youngest of four children to parents of Bangladeshi origin Salim studied Economics at University.

Salim’s CV includes British Airways, Guardian Media Group, Kiss FM, Galaxy FM, Heart FM, Jazz FM and Smooth FM.

The Rejuvenate Group is a technology led and people focussed, media centric group of companies, operating from the heart of Manchester and serving its commercial community.

Shazan is a marketing professional with over 14 years experience in direct marketing, advertising and branding and has worked alongside a number of leading blue-chip brands through his senior roles at TBWA, Omnicom and WPP. As founder of Urban Logic, an off plan property investment specialist, which was acquired for £7.4m and listed on AIM whilst Shazan was at the helm. He has subsequently, been involved with other successful Stock Market floatation’s.

A marketing and communications professional for all of his adult life, and a member of the NW Chartered Institute of Public Relations Committee.

CEO of S B Modern Packaging and has lived in Bury for Forty Years.

He set up Salutions Limited with his Wife Beverley in 2002. Salim is Group Managing Director. The company publishes lifestyle titles including Didsbury Magazine, Hale and Bowdon Magazine and the recently launched Bonus Sapor Magazine.

Currently a solutions consultant, youth mentor and Marketing and Communications Manager for First Choice Homes Oldham, which manages 12,500 properties.

Previously led a benchmark media industry project and the hugely successful team launching the Oldham Business Management School in 2000. Now University Campus Oldham, part of the top-30 rated Huddersfield University.

I am married, and have five fantastic children and a very understanding wife. I have been involved in local groups on number of projects and championed cause for diversity and equality.

My aim has been to develop the community to provide a culture in which people from all backgrounds can live and engage in a prosperous and caring environment.

If you would like more information or would like to get involved with the EMBF(NW), then please contact Iqbal Patel Ethnic Minority Business Forum North West Renaissance House, PO Box 37, Centre Park, Warrington, WA1 1XB T 01925 400100 E info@embfnw.com

F 01925 400400 W www.embfnw.com

Empowering Business Through Strategic Leadership

Her passions are food, business and people and she is probably best known for her entrepreneurial and community initiatives including Meet My Neighbour and the School of Excellence.

AbdiRehman Yusuf Abdi founded Focusing First On People Limited. Organisation supports members from the BME Communities in the areas of Employment, training and Business needs. There organisation is based in Moss side, Manchester.

With the increase of Somali community in the region Abdi also founded Somaliland Community Centre, Moss Side, Manchester – it is now the biggest Somali centre in the Northwest and it supports more than 20 people a day in the areas of advice and guidance, training and employment.

He is heavily involved with his family business, Mughli Restaurants, based in Manchester and Knutsford, as well as operating his own design business which he established in 2003. He was also elected as the Sports and Social Chair for the Manchester Trainee Solicitors Group in 2007.

His interests, outside of work, include anything creative, food and travel.