A core part of the secondary school programme is the delivery of inspirational speeches by successful role models. Providing access to individuals who have reached the top of their careers can have a huge impact on young people. This page details just some of the many individuals who have generously volunteered their services as speakers. Please note that we cannot guarantee bookings with particular volunteers although we will always try our best!
Click on the name for their profiles!
Haleh Afshar teaches Politics and Women's Studies at the University of York and serves as a Crossbench Peer in the House of Lords. In 2005 she was awarded an OBE for services to equal opportunities. She is also the Visiting Professor of Islamic Law at the Faculté Internationale de Droit Comparée at Strasbourg. She was born and raised in Iran where she worked as a journalist and a civil servant. She has served as the Chair for the British Association of Middle Eastern Studies and Chair of United Nation Association's International Services. For seven years she served as Deputy Chair of the British Council's Gender and Development Task Force. She has also served with the Advisory Group of the Cabinet Offices Women's Unit to work on raising gender awareness amongst civil servants who adjudicate on applications for asylum from women. She served as a member of Nuffield Council on bioethics' working group on ethics and Pharmacogenetics. In 2005 she was awarded an OBE for services to equal opportunities. In 2008 she was appointed to serve as a Commissioner on Women's National Commission.She has written two and edited/co-edited 13 books on questions relating to women and development; as well as producing books on Islam and feminisms Iranian politics and women in later years. Baroness Afshar serves on the editorial boards of 10 academic journals and has been a member of the advisory group to aid the development of an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).Member of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation research project on ‘Muslims and Community Cohesion in Britain'. Member of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Working Group on religion and ethnicity 2006. Member of the advisory group the AHRC and ESRC set up to take forward the development of a joint research programme tackling the issues of religion, belief and society 2006. Member of the Advisory Group for the ‘Integration of female immigrants in labour and society' research programme, part of the 6 th framework programme of the European Commission 2006-8. She was Invited to act as an ESRC representative on the British Academy and ESRC'sVisiting Fellowships Scheme Panel for the Middle-East 2007 and 2008.
Nazir Afzal OBE is Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North of England and formerly Director, Communities for the Crown Prosecution Service and Legal Director in CPS London. During a 20 year career, Nazir has prosecuted some of the most high profile cases in the country and advised on many others. Many of his cases have set precedents for how the criminal law should operate. He initiated ground breaking conferences and seminars that have addressed; Stalking, Crime in sport, Sexual explotation, Airport crimes, ‘Honour’ crimes, forced marriage, anti-social behaviour and gang crime.. The present high profile of these subjects owes a considerable amount to Nazir's tireless 'campaigning' on the issues. He leads nationally on several legal topics. Nazir is a tutor for several leadership programmes in the public and private sector. He has made presentations to dozens of diverse organisations in this country and abroad. He is on the European Union list of expert speakers. He has given hundreds of interviews in all forms of media. He is also legal adviser to the successful ITV series “Law and Order UK.” In addition to his CPS commitments, Nazir gives a considerable amount of time to charitable work and is trustee of several. He is a Governor of Brunel University and unpaid consultant to voluntary sector organisations working with vulnerable people. Nazir’s has received many accolades, in 2005, he was awarded an OBE by the Queen for his work with the CPS and involvement with local communities. He has also had the honour of being the only lawyer to ever prosecute a case before the Queen. In 2007, he was awarded the CPS’s Public Servant of the year, named Legal Personality of the Year by the Society of Asian Lawyers, the UK Government’s Justice Award 2007 and awarded the Daily Mirror newspaper “People’s award” voted for by readers. Recently he was awarded the Asian Woman Magazine Excellence Award and the Law Society/Bar Council Mentoring award. Nazir was also selected for the Asian Power 100 along with the Muslim Power 100 list, thereby recognised as one of the 100 most influential leading Muslims and Asians in the UK.
Aaqil Ahmed is Head of Religion and Ethics and Commissioning Editor for TV and is part of the BBC Knowledge Commissioning team. Aaqil joined the BBC from Channel 4 where for more than six years he was Commissioning Editor for Religion and Head of Multicultural Programming. Commissions include many award-winning and high-profile projects such as Saving Africa's Witch Children, The Qur'an, Inside The Mind Of A Suicide Bomber, Christianity: A History and the religion strand Revelations. From 2000 to 2003, Aaqil was employed by the BBC's Religion and Ethics department as Deputy Editor of Documentaries, where he worked on a number of projects from Trouble Up North, Headhunting The Homeless, Richard Gere On Buddhism to the acclaimed current affairs and religion strand Everyman. Previously Aaqil worked for the BBC as a Director on Here And Now. He also produced and directed The Crime Squad (fronted by Sue Lawley) as well as numerous one-off documentaries for BBC One such as Britain On The Fiddle and Behind The Bike Sheds. In addition he produced news event specials such as the funeral of Diana Princess of Wales and the Turkish earthquake. Aaqil began his career at the BBC in 1992 working primarily for BBC Birmingham on programmes such as Panorama, Network East and Bollywood Or Bust. In 2005 he was awarded The Ibn Batuta Excellence in Media award by The Muslim News and in 2007 Aaqil was presented with an achievement award in arts and media by the Asian Power Hundred.
Aaqil is a trustee of the Runnymede Trust, chairman of the Mosaic Media Network as well as being a member of the Mosaic Advisory Board.
Anwar Akhtar is Director of www.thesamosa.co.uk a culture and politics site with a focus on Britain and South Asia.He is also an associate of www.urbed.coop regeneration practice. Anwar was born in Manchester, to Pakistani parents and spent his junior years working on his dad's market stalls selling jumpers and T shirts. He was Chief Executive of the Cultural Industries Development Agency (CIDA) and spent three years as Director of Rich Mix, an arts and cultural centre in East London and ten years working as a DJ and Club promoter in Sheffield.
Anas Al-Shaikh-Ali has a PhD in American Studies and has taught Literature and Translation at universities in the Middle East. Dr. Al-Shaikh-Ali is a Founding member and current Chair of AMSS (UK), and Academic Advisor to the IIIT and Director of its London Office and Translation Department. He is a Founding Trustee of FED 2000 UK (Foundation for Education and Development), a Founding Trustee and former Chair of FAIR (Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism), former Chair of the Board of Governors of The Avenue School, and Founding Executive Director of Legacy Publishing Ltd. His research interests include Islam in Western Popular Culture, Islam and the Media, Muslim Education in Europe and Muslim Discourse in Europe. He has lectured and published in both Arabic and English on these topics. Among his recent papers being published is "Islamophobic Discourse Masquerading as Art and Literature: Combating Myth through Progressive Education" and "Public Opinion and Political Influence: Issues in Contemporary Popular Fiction." His expert advice was instrumental for the production of the joint British Council /AMSS UK publication British Muslims: Media Guide. He was awarded a CBE in June 2009 for Services to Community Relations. He is currently a Research Fellow at the Department of History, Royal Holloway, University of London, and member of the Management Board of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre of Islamic Studies, University of Cambridge.
In 2001 Afzal R Amin BA (Hons) PGCE(FE) MSc, was selected to attend the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Afzal is one of only a handful of British Muslims to pass Sandhurst's arduous leadership course and gain the Queen's Commission. He has subsequently been promoted to Captain. Currently Afzal is engaged in the delivery of Army Education Courses and is a researcher and lecturer for the UK Defence Academy's Research and Assessment Branch where he has specialised in political and social analysis of the Middle East and South Asia regions. As one of the appointed subject matter experts he is frequently called upon to deliver lectures and briefings to senior military and other Government Departments' personnel who are preparing for overseas deployments. Afzal has gained an MSc in International Conflict specialising in leadership in war in the contemporary Middle East, having previously studied Classical Arabic, Modern Middle Eastern History and Islamic Law in London, Egypt and Mauritania. He is currently researching the role of religion and ethnicity as motors in armed conflict. Afzal is interested in the contribution that those with a multi-cultural capability can play in resolving intra- and inter-state disputes in the international system, promoting reconciliation and cooperation between former adversaries. Afzal hopes to one day enter politics in order to contribute to the collective national effort to improve education opportunities, social cohesion and integration; and in the international effort to bring about a world that is safer, fairer and has greater prosperity and harmony. Afzal is passionate about the state of all minority communities and especially Britain's ethnic and religious minority communities. He believes that guidance, support and facilitation are key to understanding and improving the contribution citizens make to and in Britain. Afzal is keen to utilise his experiences working with soldiers in the British Army and with young people in youth work to reach out to all British communities to assist in the promotion of mutual understanding that is so urgently needed in many of our inner-city areas. Afzal is married and has two children. He is a keen Arabic calligraphy artist, and enjoys scuba-diving.
Ismail joined Capco in 2010, and runs Capco's operations in one of its core European markets, the UK. He is also a member of Capco's Global Executive Management Team, and as such is responsible for Human Capital worldwide. In addition, Ismail holds responsibility for Capco's offshore operations in India. Ismail has long-term experience in the financial services industry and in managing large teams across the globe. Most recently, Ismail was Managing Director at Accenture responsible for the Outsourcing business in Austria, Switzerland and Germany. He was also the delivery lead across all service lines for Accenture's largest global client in Financial Services and, for the last five years, a member of the Accenture UK leadership team where he led Human Capital initiatives for the last three years. Before joining Accenture, Ismail was a Vice-President and UK Board member for CSC where he led the Financial Services business in the UK and Ireland. His roles at CSC included the CEO role for Vybe, the CSC UK division focused on e-business and innovation. Ismail is often invited as a visiting fellow to lecture at Manchester Business School.
Dr. Waqar Azmi OBE is a prominent and respected figure in the UK. He is Chairman & Managing Partner of Waterhouse Consulting Group and EU Ambassador of Intercultural Dialogue (EYID). Prior to this, he was the UK Government's Chief Diversity Adviser at the Cabinet Office. He worked at the highest levels with responsibility for driving forward Government priorities. He sits on numerous top-level boards and committees and is listed in the Asian Power 100 list of the most influential Asians in the UK.Before that he was managing director at one of the world's largest recruitment & management consulting firms, TMP/Monster Worldwide. Waqar has played a significant role in public life on a national and international scale. He was appointed by the Home Secretary to sit on the judicial public inquiry into the murder of Zahid Mubarek. Prior to that he served as a member of the Oldham Riots Inquiry, which was set up to investigate the riots that occurred in May 2001. He became the Vice-Chairman of the National Rural Race Equality Trust and Chair of the British Federation of Racial Equality Councils, which represents 100 councils in the UK. In 2006 the Southampton Solent University conferred on him the award of Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) in recognition of his major contributions and in the same year, the University of Central Lancashire conferred on him an honorary fellowship. In 2004 the Royal Society of Arts conferred an honorary FRSA on him and in 2003 he was awarded Britain's Young Asian Achievers Award. He received his OBE at the age of 32 by Her Majesty the Queen in recognition of his major contributions and, in 2001 the University of Worcester awarded him an Honorary Masters Degree. Waqar had his first speaking event for Mosaic on the 24th November 2008 at Waverly School’s Award evening, held at Birmingham City Football Club. Waqar was extremely well received, delivering a highly inspirational speech to the students of the most deprived school in Birmingham; who were celebrating their success in being the 3rd highest performing specialist school for Key Stage 4 and 16th for Key Stage 3 nationally. The speech reinforced the importance of a good education being key to success in life and congratulated the students on what they have achieved to date.
Originally from the Sudan, Sheikh Babikir arrived in Britain in September 1977. Since his arrival he has been working hard to promote Islam spiritual message amongst the native British. He started his first programme at London Central Mosque at Regents Park, which is currently known as Saturday Circle. He participated in the development of the North London Community Centre where he met His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales for the first time as he had helped in raising the fund from his late Royal Highness King Fahd Bin Abdul-aziz. Since then Sheikh Babikir has been involved in promoting the true message of Islam all around the world. In countries such as South Africa, USA, Nigeria, Indonesia, Qatar, Dubai, Morocco, Holland and many others. He has also worked at spreading this message within the British Isles in schools, colleges, universities, banks, religious institutions and many other organisations. Sheikh Babikir participates in promoting Britain and British Islam through the Commonwealth and Foreign Office. The Sheikh currently works at Islamia Schools Centre which was founded by Yusuf Islam in 1983 as the first Muslim school in the world. His job is to promote Muslim Schools at home and abroad through workshops and conferences. In 2004 the Sheikh founded his own charity Ulfa Aid providing homes for homeless people in Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sudan. The Sheikh also delivers courses in different Islamic subjects in universities and Islamic Centres. One of the areas that the Sheikh is passionate about and has been hard to promote is interfaith dialogues which he believes are essential in a multi faith Britain.
Kristiane Backer is based in London, with a pan-European career. As well as English and her native German, she is proficient in French and knows basic Italian and Arabic. Kristiane began her career at Radio Hamburg and then became a presenter for MTV Europe. She has anchored a great variety of shows for over seven years including the Coca-Cola Report, the European Top Twenty and MTV at the Movies. She has interviewed many famous artists and reported from all around Europe. In Germany she created and presented the youth show Bravo TV. Kristiane hosted a daily cultural magazine, The Ticket, for NBC Europe, and reported on the wedding of Charles and Camilla for ZDF. She has won the Golden Camera and two Golden Otto awards for her television work in Germany. As a qualified homeopath with her own online clinic, Kristiane has also offered natural health tips to viewers of RTL's Punkt 12, a daily German lifestyle show. At the height of her career Kristiane became a Muslim and has immersed herself deeply in the culture as well as the religion, studying it for many years and travelling the Muslim world. In May 2008 she published her autobiography "From MTV to Mecca", with the intention of building a bridge between the two cultures. Kristiane currently presents a travel show for travel channel and a multi cultural program for Ebru TV. She also hosts galas, music shows and corporate events.
Cllr Rabia Bhatti is the youngest Muslim female Councillor in the country and the youngest Councillor in Buckinghamshire. Prior to being elected, she held the post of the first President of Aylesbury College. At the age 19 Rabia was appointed School Governor, sat on the Personnel and Staff Dismissal Committee and was also given the Role of SEN Governor, at the time of her appointment she was the youngest Governor in Buckinghamshire. In addition to this, she is an Executive member of the Chiltern Racial and Equality Council, an Executive member of the Conservative Muslim Forum, the Executive member of the Chesham and District Association and an Executive member of the Pakistani Professionals Forum. Rabia has also participated in Young Muslim Leadership Programme at Oxford University. In July 2011 Rabia was honoured to have been invited by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yusaf Raza Gilliani to have breakfast with him at his Presidential Suite in the Hilton Hotel which was covered by both national and International media. In March 2011 Rabia chaired the Chiltern Cohesion Conference.
In addition to the above achievements, Rabia will begin studying for a Bsc in Psychology at the University of London in October 2011. Her future ambitions include standing as MP, focusing on her education and reaching out the wider community for the betterment and progression of society as a whole. Rabia has a passion, vision and commitment to leadership roles, breaking down all the barriers of age, ethnicity, gender, class and challenging stereotypes and prejudices.
Farmida Bi is a partner in the International Securities Group at Norton Rose. She has specialised in capital markets transactions for over 15 years and has advised on English and New York law debt and equity capital markets transactions (including Islamic finance and securitisations), emerging markets, regulatory issues, structured finance and mergers and acquisitions. Farmida has acted for the lead managers on many of the leading Islamic capital markets issues including the Tamweel securitisation and the acquisition of P&O by Dubai Ports. Farmida qualified as a solicitor in 1992 and as a New York attorney in 1999. She was a partner at Denton Wilde Sapte in London from 2002 to June 2008 and joined Norton Rose LLP as a partner on 1 July 2008. She is a graduate of Downing College, Cambridge. Farmida was born in Pakistan and grew up in Oxford. She now lives in London with her husband and two young sons.
Trailblazer Ikram Butt made history by becoming the first British Muslim to represent England at either rugby code when he appeared for England against Wales in the European Rugby League Championship in 1995, dispelling the myth that such physical sports did not appeal to those with an Asian heritage. Born in Leeds, a mere stones throw away from the world famous Headingley Carnegie Stadium, he fulfilled a childhood dream by signing for his home city club as a teenager, gaining Colts International honours for Great Britain. He moved on to Featherstone, where he enjoyed five excellent seasons, transferred to London for the inaugural Super League campaign in the summer of 1996 and finished his distinguished playing career at Huddersfield and Hunslet. On the field, he has also captained Pakistan in the Asian Rugby Football Union championships and helped that nation to win their first ever Tri-Nations event against the Philippines and Guam in 2005. He went on to set up the South Asia Bulls and the British Asian Rugby Association (BARA) with the aim of encouraging more Asians to participate in sport and benefit from the values it instills, recently forming and managing the British Pakistan RL XIII. BARA has been recognised by both rugby governing bodies and Sport England for their work in the community and given direct endorsement by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and current Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe. As a result, Ikram is now a regular visitor to the House of Commons, pioneers development work in the UK, India and Pakistan and is recognised as one of the most influential Asian role models in the country. Now back at the club where it all started, as part of the Leeds Rugby Foundation in the role of ‘Connecting Communities’ Manager, he is seeking to re-establish his relationship with the City of Leeds and institute a greater understanding and tolerance through the medium of sport, education and health. Ikram has been featured in a publication named ‘Did You Know’, a resource book targeting educational establishments highlighting the significant contributions made to British society by ten past and present, black and Asian role models, which was launched at the House of Lords. More recently he has published his story, ‘Tries & Prejudice’ described by correspondent Andy Wilson of the 'Guardian' newspaper as, ‘an autobiography which is fascinating and inspiring’.
Emma Clark specialises in designing Islamic gardens both at home and abroad. She is Senior Tutor at The Prince's School of Traditional Arts in London where she focuses on teaching the universal principles of sacred and traditional art. She has written many articles on Islamic art and architecture, in particular on the Islamic garden and garden carpet, as well as two children's books on Muslim heroes. Her book, The Art of the Islamic Garden was published in the winter of 2004, and a monograph on the Symbolism of the Islamic Garden, 'Underneath Which rivers Flow', was published in 1996. (She has been a practising Muslim since 1990). Select Design projects: Assistant designer on HRH The Prince of Wales' ‘Carpet Garden' at The Chelsea Flower Show, 2001 (now established at Highgrove), several private Islamic-inspired gardens in London, Paris, Saudi Arabia, and garden at Islam Expo, July 2008, London. Consultant on several other Islamic design projects, e.g. the Sheikh Zayed Museum and garden project by Foster and Partners.
Dr Hany El Banna is the founder of Islamic Relief an international relief and development organisation which aims to alleviate the poverty and suffering of the world's poorest people. Also founder and President of Humanitarian Forum seek to foster partnerships and closer co-operation among the humanitarian and charitable organizations from Muslim countries and their Western counterparts. Dr El Banna has visited over 60 countries on behalf of his organisation. Awarded the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004, in the same year Dr El Banna also received Ibn Khaldun Award for Excellence in Promoting Understanding between Global Cultures and Faiths (UK). It was also in 2004 that the Egyptian Medical Syndicate awarded him for his services to humanity and medicine. In 2005 he received the Kashmiri and Pakistani Professional Association Award and in 2006 he was awarded the Asian Jewel Lifetime Achievement Award. Acknowledging his worldwide work and influence in 2007, the UK Muslim Power 100 awarded him with their lifetime achievement award and the University of Birmingham awarded him an honorary doctorate. He is a member of the Three Faiths Forum (UK) and was selected to be a member in West-Islamic World Dialogue Council of 100 Leaders group which is a part of the World Economic Forum. Born in Egypt, Dr El Banna completed his MBBCH Medicine at Al Azhar University, Cairo, where he also obtained a Diploma in Islamic Studies in 1976. Dr Hany El Banna was awarded the Hamilton Bailey Prize in Medicine at City hospital (previously known as Dudley Road) in 1981, Birmingham UK. He then went on to further his medical training and completed a Doctorate of Medicine (MD) in foetal pathology from the University of Birmingham Medical School in 1991.
Kishwer Falkner (nee Khan) was born in Pakistan and naturalised as a UK citizen in 1983. After schooling in Pakistan, Kishwer lived and worked in the Middle East, the USA, continental Europe, Africa and Asia in the corporate sector, till she returned to the UK to read for degrees in International Relations at the London School of Economics and gained an M.A. in European Studies at the University of Kent. She joined the Liberal Democrats in the mid 1980s and worked for the party in several posts till 1999. Kishwer stood as prospective parliamentary candidate in Kensington and Chelsea in 2001, gaining the highest ethnic minority vote for Liberal Democrats in London. She was elevated to the House of Lords in 2004. Her background has covered the corporate sector, international organisations and the not-for-profit sector.
Lord Khalid Hameed of Hampstead
The Lord Hameed has worked for three London teaching hospitals. Follwoing this he developed a successful practice in Central London and was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the Cromwell Hospital, Lonond. He is currently Chairman of the Alpha Hospital Group and also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the London International Hopital, which is a new Centre of Excellence being created for cancer, the heart and the brain. Lord Hameed is Chairman of the Commonwelath Youth Exchange Council, Governor of the International Students Hall, President of the Little Foundation, Trustee of the Woolf Institute of Ahrahamic Faiths and of The Ethnic Minority Foundation, Chairman of the Friends odf The British Library, and supports other charities. He is involved in Interfaith Harmony and Dialogue for which he undertakes public speaking. In 2005 he was awarded the Sternberg Award for his work in interfaith matters. He was also awarded the Ambassador for Peace Award by the Interreligious and International Federation for Worls Peace in 2007. He was also Awarded The Asian of the Year Award in 2007. He has national honours from five countries, including the United Kingdom which awarded him with a CBE and was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London. Lord Hameed was appointed High Sheriff of Greater London in March 2006 by Her Majesty the Queen. He was presented to the House of Lords in April 2007.
Javed Husain born in Lucknow India, came in 1984 for further education to UK. Co- Founder and Director of Media Reach advertising, is now taken the post of CEO of newly formed integrated media agency Logika, media arm of Media Reach advertising is lovingly known as the Godfather, an Asian creative superstar and a chef at heart who loves to cook spectacular dishes for his family and friends. Graduating in economics and commerce in 1985 he was one of the first Asians to complete a post-grad in advertising and PR, leading to work in the international media industry, and setting up the first UK based multicultural advertising agency, Media Reach in 1987. Media Reach is now a market leader in the multicultural marketing industry in the UK and Europe. His passion and care has tailored communications for clients such as the British Heart Foundation, UK Diabetes and NSPCC to help them reach out and engage ethnic minority - and hard to reach communities. Under Javed's inspired leadership as a Creative Director major ethnic and Blue chip brands have seen turnovers of over 2 billion pounds with former clients including big brand names such as British Telecom, World Gold Council, Rank Hovis, Pride oils, Alliance and Leicester, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Tata telecom, Sony TV, B4U, Star TV, Tilda Rice, Premier Foods, Islamic Relief, and Noon Plc. His passion for creativity drew him to the first Asian catwalks in the early 90's, which led to the introduction of Asian models onto the catwalks of London, Paris and the cover of Vogue. Now in 2009, with no sign of slowing down, Javed is actively advising the London Olympics 2012 committee, the Greater London Authority and numerous UK Government departments on multiculturalism. He is being nominated at The Lloyds TSB Jewel Awards for Entrepreneur Excellence Award 2009. Last but not least he is a visiting lecturer and mentor on multiculturalism and advertising at various universities, conferences and seminars.
Born in Pakistan and brought up in London, Rear-Admiral Hussain joined the Royal Navy during his first term at University. He was seeking a career with variety, travel, a bit of excitement and, of course, some fun - he has not been disappointed. The Rear-Admiral's sea jobs have ranged from inspecting fishing catches in UK coastal waters to global operations in an aircraft carrier, from the demands of seeing a tired ship through her last commission to those of getting a brand new first of class vessel ready for operations. Postings ashore have ranged from strategy and finance in Whitehall to the Naval Base Commander at Portsmouth (a job akin to running a town, 2 ports and a major industrial complex) where his time spanned: a novel partnering arrangement with industry; taking operational command of the 1300 Royal Naval fire-fighters providing emergency strike cover in London and the South; and the celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. Rear-Admiral Hussain's current team buys some of the most advanced equipment for all 3 Services and makes him the focal point for the health of some of the cutting edge technology industries within the UK. However he is about to return to Whitehall as Controller of the Navy, a job that dates back to the 16th Century and includes membership of the Main Board of the Royal Navy. A professional 21st Century organisation invests enormously in training and, together with many career courses, Rear-Admiral Hussain has an engineering BSc, a technology MSc and a Masters degree from the London Business School Sloan Fellowship programme.
Mabs Hussain joined West Yorkshire Police in 1996 at the age of 23 and was posted to Bradford an area where he was born and still lived in at the time. Having worked in a uniform role for a few years he quickly realised his passion was for investigating crime and moved into CID. As a Detective Constable he was part of the team that was set up to investigate the Bradford Riots in 2001. He describes this period as a ‘sad time in Bradford’s history and for the Asian community’. In 2001 he was promoted to Sergeant working in Leeds and then again to Detective Sergeant. One of the most memorable investigations he was in charge of at the time was the murder of a 3yr old girl, an investigation he was commended for by the honourable Mr Justice Grigson. The suspect in this case received a life sentence for her murder. In 2006 he was promoted to Detective Inspector spending 3 years leading investigations into organised crime groups and individuals within Wakefield and Bradford divisions. As the Officer in charge of the district drugs team he utilised conventional and undercover policing tactics to target those that harm our communities. In 2009 at the age of 35 he was promoted to Detective Chief Inspector as the head of crime for Airedale and North Bradford Division. During this time he has been responsible in leading his teams in investigating a wide range of offences from the most serious of murder to drugs supply, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and minor assaults. Mabs has recently changed roles and is now the head of Neighbourhood Policing and Partnerships, a role which has given him an opportunity to build a lasting relationship with mosaic, a partnership which is currently piloting a mentoring scheme in Bradford in some of the most deprived and challenging communities.
Monawar was born in Taplow, Berkshire and grew up in Maidenhead. Upon leaving school he moved to Oxford and at the age of 18 purchased a rundown petrol station in rural Oxfordshire. Within 5 years he had turned a £10,000 investment into a business generating sales of just under £2,000,000 a year, doubling fuel volume, trebling shop sales and employing five members of staff. During this period he established an international trading company primarily involved in sourcing raw materials from manufacturers in the Far East. Although on occasions he designed various sports wear with manufacturing in China, Hong Kong and South Korea. Monawar believes business to be an incredible educator which he says has and continues to be a hugely enriching experience. Many of Monawar's business competitors have closed down because of supermarket competition; nonetheless he continues to serve his local villages, recently celebrating some 25 years of fuel retailing in Oxfordshire. Whilst operating the business Monawar continued with his education. First, reading (part-time) Law and Retail Management at Oxford Brookes University. In 1995 he decided to commit himself to full time education reading Theology at the University of Oxford and later training as an Imam under the late Shaykh Zaki Badawi KBE at the Muslim College, London. He is currently translating a major work of one of the leading reformist Sufi masters of the early 20th century Punjab from Urdu to English so as to introduce this work to the English speaking world. This is also part of a doctoral research project. Monawar has spoken at many educational institutes and forums throughout the UK, and has featured in a number of television documentaries, magazines and newspapers. In 2008 he devised and successfully piloted 'The Oxford Muslim Pupils' Empowerment Programme' that sought to engage Muslim pupils' within a school context through Islamic learning, drama, art, music and free debate and discussion exploring issues specifically of concern to them. This has been highlighted nationally by government and teacher training organisations are utilising it to train teachers. He has also served as a Commissioner on the Commission for the Future of Volunteering and various other panels seeking his expertise. Monawar continues to support the work of Volunteering England, is passionate about interfaith work (recently establishing the Oxford Council of Faiths) and has led on a number of ground breaking initiatives in the fields of interfaith and education.
Javed started his professional career with Casson Beckman (now part of Baker Tilly) but unable to maintain an interest in auditing, he opted to work mainly in the firm's Business Services Division where he felt better able to add value to his clients businesses by advising them on management information systems that helped to control the businesses better. In 1988, he was recruited by the British Olympic Association as its first ever qualified Finance Manager (following the success of the LA Olympic Games and the advent of big money into the Olympic movement). He stayed on at the BOA for the next 11 years and during that time, helped change the organisation from a once in four years "tour operator" to a multi million pound model sports organisation and the only non government supported National Olympic Committee in the world. During his time at the BOA, Javed was responsible for Team GB finances and in this role he travelled to the Barcelona and Atlanta Olympic Games. In July 1999, Javed was offered the post of Chief Financial Officer to the FA Premier League soon after the League had moved from Lancaster Gate where it previously shared office facilities and professional support with the FA. He experienced a sense of deja vu in that the initial brief was again to set up financial and administrative systems and controls to service the needs of a high profile multi million pound sports organisation except with rather bigger numbers! Whilst perks include the occasional outing to Premiership matches, he is not often seen in the company of Premiership footballers but does have as part of his responsibilities the running of the finances of Referees organisation, Professional Game Match Officials Limited. Whilst maintaining even handedness in all business dealings, he and his family (wife and two sons) avidly follow the fortunes of Arsenal Football Club.
Javed is Chief Executive of Victim Support. Previously, Javed was Director of Community and Cultural Services at the London Borough of Harrow and with 23 years of public service is responsible for a range of high profile services. He previously held the post of Harrow's Director of Education. He is a Trustee of the Learning Communities Network, adviser to the Goldman Sachs Global Leaders Programme and a member of the UK Social Policy Forum. He is also a founder member of the Kashmiri and Pakistani Professionals Association (KAPPA) and earlier this year was included in a list of the 100 most influential Muslims in the UK.
Councillor Mohammed Afzal Khan CBE was born in Pakistan and came to the UK when he was 11 years of age and spent most of his youth studying and working in Nelson, Lancashire. Afzal started working in a mill as a labourer before becoming a weaver. Afzal has worked in many fields from being a bus driver, to a youth worker. Upon moving to Manchester he resumed his education and completed his A-levels at Abraham Moss College. He then joined Greater Manchester Police and served as a police constable. Taking the law a step further he went back to higher education and completed his degree in law and began his career as a solicitor. He has practiced law for a number of years and is currently a partner at Khan Solicitors. Councillor Mohammed Afzal Khan was elected to represent the Cheetham ward in 2000 and since that time he has served on a number of committees: social strategy, finance and general purpose, assistant Executive member for Finance and Personnel, lead member for Race Equality and assistant Executive for Children services at Manchester City Council. In 2005 He became the first Asian and youngest Lord Mayor of Manchester, Vice President for world mayors for peace, and was also named Mayor of the year by CO-OP Bank in 2006, and is winner of Asian Jewel Award 2006. Councillor Khan is an active member of Unite, the GMB Trade Unions and the United Co-op Movement. He has worked as a non-executive Director for Manchester Primary Health Care Trust, was an advisor to the Department of Trade and Industry between the years of 2000 and 2004. Member of The University of Manchester Board of Governors and school governor at Temple Primary School, and Cheetham Community School. Councillor Khan is involved with extensive charitable work; He has been Board Member for BBC Children in Need, a trustee for Manchester Immigration Needs Trust, Manchester City Football Club in the Community trustee, founding trustee of Human Appeal international, and he is National Trustee of British Red Cross. For more than 25 years, Councillor Khan has also been involved with many community organisations, as well as interfaith work. He has been involved in setting up and serving on a number of important national community organisations, such as Young Muslim UK, Islamic Society of Britain, Ansar Finance Ltd, British Muslim Heritage Centre and Muslim Council of Britain (MCB. Councillor Khan is a member of Greater Manchester Faith Leaders Group, and also help to Set up Christian, Jewish and Muslim Forums for Greater Manchester. In recognition of his long and distinguish services to Community and Interfaith Relations and to Local Government. he was awarded Commander of the order of the British Empire, by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2008. Councillor Mohammed Afzal Khan and his wife Shkeela, have been married 30 years. They have 3 children, Maryam who is also councillor and a solicitor, Imran who is currently studying Dentistry and Ayesha who is studying Optometry.
Amar's multi-faceted career, entrepreneurial achievements and international television profile have been built against a background dominated by teenage onset of blindness due to the incurable eye condition Retinitis Pigmentosa. By the age of 20 he had sustained 95% sight loss. He was declared ‘The Outstanding Young Business Entrepreneur of the World' (TOYP award) by the Chamber of Commerce International (JCI) at their World Congress. Previous fellow TOYP awardees have included U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton and actors Orson Welles and Christopher Reeve. Amar is the founder and director of ‘Traveleyes', the world's first commercial air tour operator to specialise in serving blind as well as sighted travellers. Traveleyes is an international company with a world-wide customer base. His inspirational public speaking engagements for major organizations, corporate bodies and charities have included key speeches to The United Nations (Ethiopia), The World Travel Market (London), The Royal College of Art (London) and The Arabian Travel Market (Dubai). He became the first recipient of the prestigious 'Stelios Disabled Entrepreneur Award', sponsored and presented by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou of Easy Jet, in conjunction with Leonard Cheshire Disability. This is the highest award of its type for entrepreneurship. As well as directing documentary films, including work for UK's Channel 4 TV (featured at the British Film Institute). Amar has also appeared in a number of TV productions both as a documentary contributor and as an actor. He became known to millions through his participation in the ground-breaking BBC2 TV / Discovery Channel four-part series, "Beyond Boundaries" (series 1), a jungle endurance expedition across Central America. Screened worldwide, this was a gruelling 220 mile trek on foot across the rugged interior of Nicaragua, from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. The group made history by taking a route that had never previously been undertaken. Amar had to ford swollen rivers, cut through dense jungle, cross waterfalls, climb a 5,000 ft. active volcano and navigate the second largest lake in Latin America, terrain populated by crocodiles and anacondas. The aim was to challenge preconceptions about disability, aspiration and achievement, and to prove that disabled people need not merely follow in the wake of the able-bodied, but can actually be the trail-blazers. Amar's TV acting roles have included parts in various BBC TV drama, comedy and documentary features. He has also appeared in UK theatrical productions, encompassing musical revue and serious drama. He has played music in various parts of the world, as a guitarist and singer. His charity fundraising work has included abseiling down the side of major public buildings, dressed as Batman! Amar speaks at a diverse range of international functions on a variety of themes: entrepreneurial, motivational, world travel, equality and diversity. Blindness is a challenge to which he responds on a daily basis. As a free spirit, committed to making the most of an extraordinary life in a positive, multi-cultural world, Amar has a unique story to tell that is both moving and inspirational.
Originally from India, Pinky came to the UK having met her husband and married him in 3 weeks - he thought he had got a good Muslim wife who could cook. In the three weeks they had known each other Pinky had not had the time to tell him that she had never really been into a kitchen! his was put right by learning to cook, teaching it, writing a cookery book SPICE MAGIC and working with most of the main supermarkets in Indian recipe development. Pinky now run team building days for major corporate organisations based around Indian cookery. Pinky set up the ASIAN WOMEN OF ACHIEVMENT AWARDS - almost ten years ago and several other programmes which are all around the theme of women's empowerment. THE WOMEN OF THE FUTURE AWARDS for women under 35, the INSPIRATIONAL WOMENS NETWORK, THE AMBASSADORS PROGRAMME and THE INSPIRING EDUCATORS AWARD and THE GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT AWARD. Pinky believes passionately in helping others in the community and has been a mentor with the PYBT for 15 years. She holds international buffets lunches for several charities at my home each year, and is Patron of the ASIAN WOMENS RESOURCE CENTRE, THE WESTMINSTER SOCIETY and THE NATIONA BLACK POLICE ASSOCIATION. Pinky has a hugely supportive husband and 2 sons who are her inspiration.
Dr Haseena Lockhat works as Consultant Child Clinical Psychologist at Worcestershire Primary Care Trust. She completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Manchester, back in 1999. Her current portfolio includes being a Board member of Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs' Race Equality Advisory Panel, a Partner at the Healthcare Commission and a Senior Partner at Waterhouse Consulting Group. Her past portfolio has included involvement on numerous high profile boards and committees including being a member of the Government's Community Cohesion Panel where she chaired the Health Care Committee, a Home Secretary Appointee to the National Probation Service (West Mercia Area), Governor of the University of Worcester, and member of the Government's Race Equality Advisory Panel, advising Ministers. Haseena is regarded as a leading figure in both the UK and internationally on healthcare issues relating to female genital mutilation (FGM). Her publications include the acclaimed book ‘Female Genital Mutilation: Treating the Tears' which was launched at the House of Commons in 2004 by the then Home Secretary, the Rt. Hon. David Blunkett MP and the Rt. Hon. Melanie Johnson MP, the then Minister for Public Health. She has also helped to set up and supports numerous charitable projects in the third world including the Lockhat Hospital - one of the biggest hospitals in Surat (Gujarat, India); the Lockhat Charities that give scholarships to those who wish to become nurses and provides support to boarding houses, orphans and clean water projects; and the new Gynaecology Hospital Project in Kathor. In 2004 she was awarded the Healthcare Excellence Award in recognition of her major contributions by Lloyds TSB at the Asian Jewel Awards. Haseena was born and brought up in Stafford in the Midlands. Her father, a retired GP, is originally from Gujarat, India, whilst her mother, a retired social worker, is originally from Mauritius. She currently lives with her husband and young family in Worcestershire.
Moazzam Malik is Director for Western Asia and Stabilisation at the UK Department for International Development (DFID). He oversees the UK's development programmes in Afghanistan and Pakistan and stabilisation assistance to address conflict and insecurity in developing countries. Moazzam leads a division comprising 200 staff and a budget exceeding £300m spread across three departments: DFID Afghanistan, DFID Pakistan and the UK Stabilisation Unit. Before taking up responsibilities in this area, Moazzam was Director for UN, Conflict and Humanitarian issues. He managed the UK's relationship with the UN system and oversaw major UK humanitarian operations. Moazzam previously led work on the 2006 White Paper on international development ‘Making Governance Work for the Poor'. Between 2003 and 2005, Moazzam was Principal Private Secretary to first Baroness Amos and then the Right Hon Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for International Development. As Principal Private Secretary, Moazzam worked with Ministers and colleagues across Government on a wide range of issues including the UK's development assistance in Africa and South Asia; migration and trade policy; reform of the UN and other international institutions; and the G8 Summit at Gleneagles. Earlier in his DFID career, Moazzam managed DFID's programmes in Pakistan, Iraq and on trade policy. Moazzam sits on the Advisory Board to the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Conflict and the and the Board of Goodweave UK. Outside Government, Moazzam has worked as a consultant economist advising large UK corporate clients and the World Bank amongst others; a researcher at the London School of Economics and the Overseas Development Institute; an adviser on monetary and foreign exchange policy in the Central Bank of Uganda; an economist in a Pakistani development bank; and run a production engineering business and an urban regeneration NGO based in London. Moazzam is married with three children and lives in North West London, just a mile and half from where he grew up. Like a lot of British Asian men, Moazzam is passionate about cricket. He follows the Pakistani cricket team's highs and (many) lows - a pride that he is passing on to his children. He enjoys cooking and eating Asian foods, music, cinema and theatre, walking around London and holidaying in Scotland. Moazzam studied at a local comprehensive school in North West London and has a BSc Honours in Economics from the London School of Economics and a MSc in Development Economics from Oxford University.
Married with 3 children, Jehangir is originally from Birmingham, UK with parents migrating to UK in the 1960s from Azad Jammu Kashmir. Jehangir has been an active member of the community since the early days of University, where whilst he was studying for his law degree he was the President of the Islamic Society. Also was an active member of the Young Muslims UK. He was introduced to Islamic Relief through the founder Dr Hany el Banna, where he is proud of the fact that his first responsibility was a volunteer steward at the famous Islamic Relief Games held at the NEC in Birmingham in 1991. He later joined Islamic Relief as a Fundraising Coordinator in Bradford, Birmingham and was then offered a posting to initiate IR USA operation. He became the Development Director in IR USA until 2001, where he helped develop the operation into one of the major IR funding Offices for Islamic Relief's Projects, as well as working with the grass roots communities focusing on developing Youth Leadership. In 2002, Jenhangir moved to Afghanistan as a Deputy Country Director in managing one of the largest Humanitarian Aid Programs for Islamic Relief Worldwide. Returned to UK as a Fundraising and Marketing Manager and is currently the UK Director of Islamic Relief UK based in London. In his travels he has had the good fortune to visit numerous countries including Pakistan, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Balkans, Africa: Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Russia: Ingushetia, Chechnya, Iraq. Spoken as an eye witness to too many tragedies and calamities and has shared even in the most dire of situations recognised the amazing spirit & resolve of the human being. Jehangir Malik is a firm believer of the doctrine set out by the founder of Islamic Relief that we are the Servants of the People, we are employed not by Islamic Relief but our actual employers are the people we serve. Jehangir Malik has also actively participated on several British Muslim Delegations facilitated by the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) to Pakistan, Iran, Sudan Egypt and Qatar on a people to people diplomatic peace missions to help strengthen relations between the respective countries. He takes a keen interest in Foreign Affairs and often participates in discussion forums and platforms representing British Muslim views. He sees his responsibility as a promoter of positive Muslim contributions to Humanity. Jehangir was recently awarded an OBE by the Queen in the 2010 Honours List.
Khawar Mann is a partner with Apax Partners, the international private equity firm, where he specialises in healthcare investments. His recent investments include the hospital groups General Healthcare Group Ltd in the UK, Capio AB and Unilabs in Europe and Apollo Hospitals in India. He has a degree in Medical Sciences and Law from Cambridge University and also an LLM Master of Law. He has an MBA from The Wharton School, where he was a Fulbright and Thouron scholar. Khawar began his career as a lawyer with Linklaters in London specialising in Corporate Finance and Intellectual Property. He then moved to Weston Medical Group PLC as the Commercial Director before joining Apax Partners in 2003. Khawar is a Trustee of The Enterprise Education Trust and the Apax Foundation and is also a member of the Government Taskforce for Talent and Enterprise.
Nadira is Dean of the School of Lifelong Education and Development and Director of the Public and Community involvement at the University of Bradford. She has lead widening participation that is making it possible for young people who have no family history of higher education to access university courses. This work has been regularly short listed for national Awards. She has been a youth and community officer and was instrumental in establishing the voluntary sector infrastructure in Bradford. Nadira sits on a number of local, regional and national committees charged with raising educational aspiration and attainment. She is the Deputy Chairperson of the Bradford Hospitals Foundation Teaching Trust, chairing a number of strategic committees including the Born in Bradford project which is an international action research study of childhood diseases over the next ten years. Nadira sits on the Widening Participation and Business and Community strategic advisory committees of the Higher Education Funding Council of England, is advisor to the Management Development Foundation, an international training consultancy for the developing world based in the Netherlands, a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts and a visiting Fellow of the University of Azad Kashmir. Nadira’s first job, which brought her to Bradford in 1980, was as a youth and community worker. She was responsible for developing youth projects, emergency accommodation with learning facilities and the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, all for Asian young women. She has three children aged 24, 22 and 20 and lives in Bradford.
With nine years experience working in the fashion industry at retailers including Harrods, award-winning designer Noreen Mirza began creating her own jewellery in 2005 and has worked as creative director of a major international jewellery manufacturer based in Leeds. Her talent and entrepreneurial acumen earned her the honour of receiving the Innovative Woman of the Year accolade at the International Women of Excellence Awards ceremony in 2008. Her innovative and exclusive jewellery attracts high profile names, such as HRH Princess Badiya, Dame Kelly Holmes, Pinky Lilani, Elizabeth Coffey, and many more. Hers is a success story that breaks barriers, as a young woman from an ethnic minority group; her accomplishments make her a very positive role model and she takes pleasure in working with Mosaic.
His working history includes over 15 years experience in the community and voluntary sector in positions that have included social policy lobbying, project and general management and leading organizations as the Chief Operating Officer. Fiyaz has worked in a number of organizations providing training to women right through to European transnational faith related programmes and advice and information projects. Currently, Fiyaz Mughal is currently the Director of a not for profit organization called Faith Matters (www.faith-matters.org.uk) which works on reducing extremism and developing platforms for discourse and interaction between Muslim, Sikh and Jewish communities right across the UK. Fiyaz is also the Founder Director of two micro-finance projects to assist social entrepreneurism in Palestine and is also developing interfaith and conflict resolution projects bringing together communities in the region. Currently, Fiyaz is a Councillor in Haringey and was previously a Councillor in Oxford (2002-2004). A previous Deputy President of a mainstream political party in the UK, he has also campaigned heavily on Black and Minority Ethnic (group) inclusion within political parties and discourses. He was also appointed to be on the Working Group for Communities that was linked to the Extremism Task Force developed in 2005 after the 7/7 bombings. In early 2008, Fiyaz was successful in becoming an elected member IDeA Peer Mentor for national work with local authorities on the Preventing Violent Extremism agenda. Fiyaz has recently been appointed by the Secretary of State for the Department for Communities and Local Government to be a member of the Local Delivery Advisory Group on Preventing Violent Extremism. More recently, he has also been appointed as the Advisor to the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg MP, on interfaith and preventing radicalism and extremism. Fiyaz was recently honoured by Her Majesty, the Queen and was bestowed with the Honour of the Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
Arshia joined BBC WM after a spell of working for stations across the Midlands and has now been working at the BBC for over five years. She is currently the producer of the Midlands Masala show on BBC WM. The show is presented by BBC Midlands Today reporter Satnam Rana. It's a great spicy mix of all things Asian across the Midlands. Arshia is the regular stand in presenter for the show so at times can fluctuate between being a producer and presenter. When Arshia is not busy at work she can be seen hosting events across the UK. She has already been signed up to host on the main stage for Diwali 2009. Over the years she has taken on a variety of roles - including Presenter, Producer, Broadcast Journalist, Celebrity Booker and much more. She has over the years worked with a whole host of celebrities everybody from Ricky Gervais to boxer Amir Khan. As a producer she has looked after programmes including the Les Ross show, Janice Long and Danny Kelly's Afternoon show. Arshia went to Birmingham City University and gained a degree in Media and Communication. She later qualified as a journalist and then trained with the BBC as a Broadcast Journalist. Her love of journalism began after she took part in an internship working at CNN studios in London. She has been a media junkie since she can remember. Prior to the BBC Arshia worked in various commercial radio stations and also had the opportunity to experience life being in the spotlight when she was crowned Miss Asia UK 2002. Her passions include broadcasting community stories and she is hoping that by airing these stories on radio, tv and online, she can create a positive relationship with the media and community. Amongst her daily job Arshia is currently mentoring youngsters as part of the Mosaic Network. So whether she is in the news or helping to make it - Arshia Riaz is hoping to make a big difference !
Peter began his photographic career in 1960s as one of London's leading photographers of rock musicians. His pictures of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, The Who and many others, are classics of the genre. In 1971 Peter began his first major journey, to India then onto Morocco, his first introduction into the Islamic World. His next journey took him to Makkah where he obtained special permission to photograph the Hajj. The following years saw him travelling all over the world. During the 1990s, he was invited to document the massive extensions to the two Holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. Photographs gathered since Peter's first journey up until now, have created a vast archive - with over a quarter of a million images - specialising in the Islamic World. Peter's presentations had very humble beginnings, initially being asked by teachers to show pictures depicting Islam to the school pupils. They gave a much broader view of the Islamic World and were considered so popular, they are still requested by Universities, Corporate Bodies and Institutions around the world. In 1994, the first exhibition took place, presenting the beauty and vastness of Islam to non-muslims in a public gallery. They were incredibly well received. These exhibitions continue to be in demand and can be streamlined to suit a particular subject such as ‘Saudi Arabia in the 21st century' for the Saudi Embassy in London, or ‘Shakespeare and Islam' held at the Globe Theatre, London. A selection of pictures were projected onto the outside of the building and could be seen from across the River Thames. In 2003 Peter's first book entitled "In the Shade of the Tree" - a photographic odyssey through the Muslim World' was published in America. The book sold out within one year. This year a new and improved edition of the book was reprinted. For the past three years, Peter has been working on "The Art of Integration", a project closer to home. He wanted to show how Muslims have been part of British life for well over a century and continue to make an important contribution to the UK's rich cultural diversity. The vast majority of Muslims live peacefully and productively and many have significantly enriched the intellectual and cultural landscape of this land. People who are proud to be Muslim and British. The accompanying exhibition has now been shown in more than 35 countries around the world. Today, Peter continues to travel taking pictures, lecturing and working on exhibitions and book projects. Using his wealth of technique and artistic ability, he is setting his sights on moving into the film industry and is currently looking at various projects along this line. All with the aim of creating a bridge between Islam and the western world.
Riaz Shah is a senior partner at Ernst & Young, the global professional services firm. He became a partner in 1997 and has had various roles in at EY, including Managing Partner of London Assurance; and COO - Markets, for Northern Europe, Middle East, India and Africa. He is currently Global Learning & Development Leader. He has been an active supporter of several social enterprise projects including Mosaic, One Degree, Kiva.org, and Adab Trust. In 2009, he visited Wormwood Scrubs prison as part of the Prince of Wales' Seeing is Believing programme.
Khalid is the Managing Director of Ummah Foods which manufactures halal chocolates and was founded by Khalid in 2004. In addition to Ummah Foods, Khalid has a keen interest in education, detailed below:
- Founder - Association of Muslim Governors
- Founder - Islamic Circles Supplementary School
- School Governor - London Boroughs of Newham and Redbridge
- STEM Advisory Board - Office of Science & Technology (BERR)
The environment is also one of Khalid's concerns and he is involved in the following:
- Advisory Board -Diverse London -London Sustainability Exchange (DEFRA)
- Roll of Honour of London Better Together
- Signatory - Mayor's Green Procurement Code
All of Khalid's above work is supplemented by the community work he undertakes which is listed below:
- Member - Federation of Redbridge Muslim Organisations
- Founder - IG-Soc - Representing Muslims in Redbridge
- London & Public Affairs Committee - Muslim Council of Britain
- Muslim Working Group - Food Standards Agency
- Management Team - Red Topi Productions (Social Enterprise)
- Former Committees - City Circle, MCB
- Advisor on Muslim Marketing - RICU - Research, Information & Communications Unit (A cross-Government counter-terrorism strategic communications and research unit, reporting to: Communities & Local Government, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office)
In recognition of this Khalid has received much recognition for his work in various fields.
- Businessman of the year Finalist, Thames Gateway Awards.
- Winner of the Muslim News Awards, Ummul Mu'minin Khadijah award for excellence in enterprise
- Observer Newspapers "One to Watch!"
Prior to Ummah Foods Khalid worked in IT Consultancy based in Saudi, Thailand, Singapore, Norway and Finland. Khalid's first speaking experience as part of Mosaic's Speakers Bureau took place on November 20th 2008 at Connaught School for Girls in Leytonstone, London. He braved 360 teenage girls in an assembly to present to them his journey of success in setting up Ummah Foods. Khalid was very popular with students who learned not only valuable lessons about setting goals and remaining positive but also enjoyed some of Khalid's delightful Ummah chocolates!
Lord Mohamed Sheikh was brought up in Uganda and commenced his business career with Sun Alliance Insurance Group. He studied for the examinations of the Chartered Insurance Institute and attained the Associateship and Fellowship of the Institute at a young age in a record period. He has also studied and achieved the Financial Planning Certificate. Subsequent to his work with Sun Alliance Group he joined Guardian Royal Exchange Insurance Company where he was promoted to the position of Principal Officer. He then commenced employment with Camberford Law Plc and he was until very recently the principal shareholder as well as the Chairman and Chief Executive of the company. Lord Sheikh's family emanated from Amritsar and have a long and historic connection with the city. He is able to speak several languages and brought up in a secular environment. For many years, Lord Sheikh was a visiting lecturer on Insurance and Financial Services subjects, he has written educational material as well as being a frequent contributor to the Insurance Publications. Lord Sheikh has held high positions, including Presidency and Chairmanship of The Chartered Insurance Institute and British Insurance Brokers Association. Lord Sheikh was elevated to the House of Lords in 2006 and was in fact the Muslim to be appointed a Peer by the Conservative Party. He is currently Chairman of the Conservatice Muslim Forum. He also chairs the Ethnice Diversity of the Conservative Party and is actively involved in interfaith dialogue and building harmony amongst all communities.
Asim Siddiqui is an Associate Director at UBS. In a vountary capacity he is a founding trustee of the City Circle, a grassroots network of professionals established in 1999 which runs, in addition to educational and welfare projects, weekly public events providing an outlet for critical debate on issues of concern for British Muslim communities and wider society. TIME Magazine placed Asim on its front page in 2008 as part of a cover piece on ‘Europe's Muslim Success Story.' Asim was appointed to the Iraq Commission in 2007, an independent non-partisan body. He is an elected member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He was also a member of the prime minister's UK-Indonesia Islamic Advisory Group and has participated in British Muslim delegations to the Muslim world sponsored by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Asim features in a number of recent books as an important voice in the development of British Muslim communities: "Young British Muslim Voices" (2008, Greenwood World), "Young, British & Muslim" (2007, Continuum) and Race, Islam and Being British (2005, Guardian/Barrow Cadbury Trust). Asim writes for the Guardian's Comment is free.
Iqbal Wahhab was born in Bangladesh and came to Britain at the age of eight months. He was educated in London and is a graduate of the London School of Economics. At university he was Chairman of the Debating Union and Editor of the student newspaper. After working as a journalist in the national press for three years, in 1991 he set up his own PR firm that specialised in food, drink and restaurants and then in 1994 he launched Tandoori Magazine. He sold out of the magazine to launch the multi award winning Cinnamon Club in 2001 - a restaurant and bar aimed to change the way we view Indian dining. In 2003 he co-authored The Cinnamon Club Cookbook and in 2005 opened Roast, a restaurant and bar in Borough Market celebrating the best of British cooking with the best of seasonal British produce. In 2007 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration by the University of East London. He works closely with The Prince's Trust, taking children from under-privileged schools in south east London and spending half days with them at Roast and taking them on food education programmes around Borough Market. Iqbal is chair of the Government's Ethnic Minority Advisory Group to discuss ways to reduce ethnic minority unemployment levels and sits on a Task Force with five minsters to formulate policies to this end. Iqbal has been appointed as Chair of Autograph ABP. Iqbal's other roles include:
- Chair, Autograph
- Ambassador, Rivington Place
- Fellow, Royal Society of the Arts
- Board member, Race for Opportunity - Business in the Communit
- Board member, Bright Ideas Trust
- Board member, The Mayor’s Fund for London
Iqbal's awards include:
- Businessman of the Year 2008, The Drinks Business
- Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration, University of East London
- Voted Restaurant Personality of the Year by Menu Magazine
- Voted one of the Top 10 Restaurateurs in Britain in an Independent on Sunday survey
- Retailer of the Year, Pig and Poultry Marketing awards 2009
- Director of the Month January 2010, The Director magazine
- Entrepreneur of the Year, Muslim News Awards 2010
Cabinet Minister and Conservative Party Chairman. Sayeeda Warsi is one of the Party’s leading campaigners and as Co-Chairman is at the forefront of the Party’s political and election campaigns. Born in Dewsbury in 1971, Sayeeda has been politically involved since her early college days. She believes in aspiration and opportunity, inspired by her father, who arrived in this country with almost nothing and founded a local manufacturing firm which still runs as a family business today.
Sayeeda has always had a keen interest in faith and racial justice issues. She was instrumental in the launch of Operation Black Vote in West Yorkshire in 1996 and was for many years both an executive member of the Kirklees Racial Equality Council and a member of the Joseph Rowntree Trust Racial Justice Committee. In October 2009, Sayeeda took on the leader of the BNP, Nick Griffin, on BBC’s Question Time.
In 2004, Michael Howard appointed Sayeeda as an adviser and Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party. She was appointed a Conservative Peer by David Cameron in 2007 and served as Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action. After the 2010 General Election, Sayeeda became the first Muslim to serve as a full member of the British Cabinet.
In September 2010, Sayeeda made the first of a series of keynote addresses on the importance of faith as a force for good in society, signalling a new direction in government policy and making clear that the coalition government does “do God”.
Sayeeda has volunteered all her life, in mentoring, community groups, and as a trustee of the Savayra Foundation, a woman’s empowerment charity. Beginning with the Waves Network Social Action Project in 2005, she has worked with other Conservatives to place social action at the heart of the Party and has led a number of Conservative Social Action projects, including Project Maja in Bosnia.
Sayeeda was educated at Birkdale High School and Dewsbury College, and then the University of Leeds where she read Law (LLB). She attended the York College of Law to complete her Legal Practice Course and trained with both the Crown Prosecution Service and the Home Office Immigration Department.
After qualifying as a Solicitor, she worked for John Whitfield, the last Conservative Member of Parliament for Dewsbury, at Whitfield Hallam Goodall Solicitors and then went on to set up her own specialist practice, George Warsi Solicitors in Dewsbury. She has also worked overseas on a research project for the Ministry of Law in Pakistan.
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