The 22nd year of the annual Asian Achievers Awards sheds light on the impressive and important work done within the Asian communities across the UK.
This includes areas of business, politics, and community. These awards are a time to celebrate those who have achieved above and beyond, thus giving them the recognition they desperately deserve.
The Businessperson of the Year award is a much esteemed and valued triumph, with previous winners including OBE Dr Harren Jhoti FRS in 2023, and Shamil and Kavi Thakrar in 2022. On 20 September the long-awaited ceremony awarded serial entrepreneur Sukhpal Ahluwalia the Businessperson of the Year award for 2024.
Coming to the UK as a Refugee
Mr. Ahluwalia’s inspiring story starts with his arrival in the UK as a refugee, after fleeing persecution from Idi Amin in Uganda. This young, bright 13-year-old boy, first came to the UK for safety with his family, without being able to speak English. He highlights how they “arrived in the UK with literally just the clothes on our backs and ended up living in a refugee camp. That experience was formative for me”.
He describes the journey of starting a business within the UK and neither easy nor quick. But through “making his own luck in life” and working hard, he has gone on to achieve great things in life, business, charity, and community. Mr Ahluwalia highlights it was this trying start, and dedication from his parents to rebuild their life within the UK, which fuelled his drive for success.
Multiple Business Achievements
Mr. Ahluwalia received this well-deserved award for his vital role in numerous of the country’s largest business organisations. This includes Euro Car Parts, Dominvs Group, and additionally GSF Car Parts. Creating Euro Car parts in 1978, Mr Ahluwalia nurtured this company to grow into a multibillion business by 2018, with over 350 locations across the UK and Europe. This soon became the largest distribution for car parts across Europe.
Mr Ahluwalia later sold this business to Nasdaq-listed LKQ Corp in 2014, as he decided to move on as Executive Chairman for the company. This led to him founding the Dominvs Group, which is now the largest privately owned property developer and operator in the UK. With vast student living projects, as well as residential, and mixed-use schemes, this has a gross development value of £2.4 billion. When asked about his work, Mr Ahluwalia’s passion is evident, “I love driving businesses from the front, and I’m very lucky to have been allowed to do what I love – founding and building businesses – almost every day of my life”.
Further adding to the achievements of Mr Ahluwalia is his dedication to charity work and giving back to communities. His charity work in India is especially commendable, as he has invested £10 million in the Punjab state, in the hope to inspire and aid the entrepreneurs within the tech world across the country.
This story of Mr Ahluwalia starting as a refugee is inspirational to see how hard work, and a business savvy mindset can have huge benefits on your future.
Advice he gives for people inspired by his story, and for those who one day hope to receive the Businessperson of the Year award for Asian Achievers, includes finding a lesson in every conversation you have with people. He highlights how from this you can keep evolving, driving, and moving forward in the business world.
