Sixteen of Britain’s thriving community of Asian entrepreneurs  are among the Management Today ranking of top 100 entrepreneurs in the UK for 2006.  They demonstrate that the diversity of the top entrepreneurs in the UK is the country’s greatest strength, representing success and achievement, regardless of age, creed, nationality or background.

The businesses continue to grow in strength, providing strong role models for young people from all backgrounds.

The Asian entrepreneurs in the Management Today list are: Shaf Rasul E-Net Computers Computer supplies; Mayank Patel,  Currencies Direct, Foreign exchange; Tom Singh,  New Look, Fashion retail; Karan Bilimoria, Cobra Beer; Vijay & Bikhu Patel, Waymade Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals; Harpal Matharu, Global Grange, Hotels; Anwar Patel, Primelight/Gorgemead, retail chemist; Rahul & Rita Sharma, Worldwide Journeys, Travel;  Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia, Euro Car Parts, Automotive parts; Sir Anwar Pervez, Bestway Cash & Carry ; Afzal Khushi, Jacobs & Turner, Fashion;  Raj Chatha, European Food Brokers, Drinks Wholesaler;  Bharat Shah, Sigma Pharmaceuticals;  and Sanjay Vadera, 38 Per-Scent, Perfume.

Employment growth is only one of the three ways in which Management Today ranks the Top 100.

Another key indicator is turnover growth. In this regard, the top 100 have also raised their game sharply in the past five years with sales up from £10.4 billion to more than £24.1 billion – a huge amount of economic activity by any standards.

The  third indicator comes from a valuation of the entrepreneurs’ stake in their businesses and other assets, based on the stock market values (if quoted), or in line with those values for private companies. Collectively, the Top 100 are, according to Magazine Today, worth about £15.6 billion.

Britain’s leading entrepreneurs are creating employment as never before. The third annual MT ranking of the Top 100 entrepreneurs shows that over the past five years, they have collectively created nearly 71,000 new jobs, an unprecedented 130% increase.

Despite a dip in consumer confidence and rising oil prices, they are the creators of real jobs and real economic activity in terms of growing sales and profits.  Five years ago, the top 100 employed 54,574 staff. In their latest accounts, that total had risen to 125,573. Virtually all these increases are due to solid organic growth rather than financial engineering or takeovers, neither of which have the same positive impact on the pool of national employment.  

According to the magazine: “Nascent economists will already have noted approvingly that at 142%, this growth in turnover is a good deal higher than the overall growth in employment. By keeping their employment growth below growth in sales, the Top 100 are, in effect, improving productivity and strengthening their competitive position.  

”But we have also taken care to look for businesses that are as financially robust as possible. We hate hefty borrowings, and although we concentrate on sales growth as one of our measurements, we also love our entrepreneurs to have steadily increasing profits – and for these to be re-invested, rather than taken out as dividends or fat salaries.”