Mosaic

Iqbal Wahhab

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.

Patron, Concern Worldwide

Ambassador, Rivington Place

Trustee, Bright Ideas Trust

Voted Restaurant Personality of the Year by Menu Magazine

Voted one of the Top 10 Restaurateurs in Britain in an Independent on Sunday survey

Businessman of the Year 2008 The Drinks Business

Finalist, Asian Businessman of the Year awards

Finalist, Entrepreneur of the Year Awards