Each year, with the support of our readers and communities, Asian Standard curates its Most Influential List to recognise British Asians who are shaping Leeds and beyond, not always from the spotlight, but often from the frontlines of change.
This list is not exhaustive, nor does it claim to capture every individual making a difference. Across our communities, there are countless people leading, building, advocating and serving in ways that may never make headlines. Many operate quietly, driven by purpose rather than profile.
So why does the Influential List matter?
It matters because too often, influence is measured narrowly, by wealth, status or visibility alone. This list challenges that idea. It exists to spotlight leadership in all its forms; to share stories that inspire the next generation; to reflect the breadth of influence within our communities; and to ensure that those creating real, lasting impact are seen beyond their immediate circles.
The 2025 list reflects a year of challenge, resilience and transformation. From healthcare and education to business, technology, culture and grassroots action, this year’s honourees demonstrate how influence is exercised through service, innovation, courage and consistency. Some lead institutions, others lead movements. All are shaping lives.
At a time when representation and role models matter more than ever, Asian Standard’s Most Influential List is both a celebration and a record, capturing the people helping to define who we are, and where we are going.
Presented in no particular order, we are proud to introduce Asian Standard’s Most Influential of Leeds, 2025.
Rohin Dhand: Building healthcare, infrastructure and long-term value for Leeds
Rohin Dhand has emerged as one of Leeds’ most influential figures in property and healthcare development, combining commercial expertise with a clear commitment to social impact.
As chief executive of Mayfair Group Investment (MGI), Dhand has led the business through consistent year-on-year growth, expanding its portfolio across healthcare, commercial and residential sectors. A qualified quantity surveyor, his background in development, investment and asset management underpins a leadership style focused on quality, sustainability and long-term value rather than short-term gain.
Under Dhand’s direction, MGI has delivered some of Leeds’ most significant recent healthcare developments. Most notably, he oversaw the opening of the Harehills Community Health Centre, a purpose-built facility delivered during a period of economic turbulence. Located in the heart of Harehills, the centre is now home to Milan Street Surgery and Medichem Pharmacy, providing vital healthcare services to residents across Harehills, Richmond Hill and Burmantofts. For communities long underserved by health infrastructure, the development represents a meaningful step towards addressing entrenched inequalities in access to care.
This followed MGI’s earlier delivery of St Martins House Medical Centre in Chapeltown, marking the company’s second major healthcare project in Leeds. Both developments were guided by a clear objective: to bring high-quality, accessible healthcare into areas of the city where it is most needed.
Beyond the private sector, Dhand also serves as a commissioned Army Reserve Officer with the Royal Engineers, within 65 Works Group, providing specialist infrastructure capability to the Ministry of Defence. The role reflects his expertise in complex delivery environments and public service leadership.
Rohin Dhand’s influence is defined by scale and purpose. As MGI expands beyond Yorkshire, he continues to position Leeds as a centre for progressive property and healthcare development, proving that commercial success and community benefit can, and should, go hand in hand.
Lilah Bibi MRSC: Redefining excellence and representation in cosmetic science
Lilah Bibi MRSC has emerged as one of Yorkshire’s most influential scientific voices, combining technical excellence with a powerful commitment to representation, education
and inspiration.
An award-winning cosmetic scientist and soap chemist, Bibi is a Product Development Chemist at Stephenson, where she has spent more than two years driving innovation across product formulation and development. Born and bred in Yorkshire, she holds a BEng in Chemical Engineering and completed a competitive industrial placement at Solvay, laying the foundations for a career rooted in both rigour and creativity.
In 2025, Bibi made history as the first Muslim woman to win the Society of Cosmetic Scientists Cosmetic Scientist of the Year award — a national accolade recognising exceptional innovation, leadership and impact. Beating thousands of candidates across the UK, the win marked a landmark moment not only for her profession, but for representation within STEM industries.
Her work is characterised by curiosity and end-to-end ownership. One of her most celebrated achievements, Crystal Natural White, was discovered as a “happy accident” — a product she developed from concept through to completion, exemplifying her ability to blend scientific precision with inventive thinking. She is also a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and achieved a merit in the Society of Cosmetic Scientists’ diploma.
Beyond the laboratory, Bibi’s influence extends into education and advocacy. As a STEM Ambassador, she supports a national network bringing real-life science careers into schools, colleges and universities. Her work helps break stereotypes, particularly for young women and girls from BAME backgrounds, showing that STEM pathways are not only accessible, but limitless.
In 2025, Lilah Bibi’s influence lies not just in what she has achieved, but in who she is bringing with her — redefining what leadership in science looks like, and inspiring the next generation to believe they belong.
Mashood Akmal: Driving global aviation innovation from the heart of Leeds
Mashood Akmal has emerged as one of Leeds’ most influential figures in advanced manufacturing and aviation, steering global innovation while anchoring future growth firmly in the region.
As Director of Innovation & Strategy at Aeroservices, Akmal leads the integration of artificial intelligence, IoT and big data to drive digital transformation across one of the aviation industry’s most expansive supply chain operations. Under his strategic direction, Aeroservices has entered new sectors within aerospace and defence, developing a digital product portfolio that complements its established global capabilities.
Headquartered in Leeds with regional offices in Dubai and Shanghai, Aeroservices operates in more than 90 countries. Its “nose-to-tail” services — spanning spares distribution, maintenance management, tooling, consumables and component leasing — support more than 100 commercial operators, flag carriers, defence forces and MROs worldwide. Today, an aircraft supported by Aeroservices’ technical offering takes off somewhere in the world every 30 seconds.
Akmal’s influence extends beyond operational leadership. Recognised as an Export Champion for the Northern Powerhouse by the UK Government and certified by the Royal Navy for leadership and team-building excellence, he represents a new generation of globally minded industrial leaders rooted in the North.
In Leeds, his ambition is transformational. Aeroservices has acquired a six-acre site at Junction 30 of the M62 to develop an Aviation Innovation Hub — a proposed business park bringing together warehousing, maintenance operations and R&D. Central to the vision is a Product Innovation Lab, with planned collaboration alongside University of Leeds, focusing on automation, robotics and next-generation aviation technologies.
Born in Delhi and arriving in the UK in 2003 to study international marketing management, Akmal’s career spans roles at Tata Steel, Q8 Oils and General Electric. In 2025, his influence lies in scale and foresight — positioning Leeds as a serious global hub for aviation innovation, investment and advanced manufacturing.
Shawab Iqbal: Redefining leadership, representation and ambition in British theatre
Shawab Iqbal has become one of Leeds’ most influential cultural leaders, reshaping the theatre landscape while challenging long-held assumptions about who belongs at the top of
the arts sector.
In 2025, Iqbal was appointed sole Chief Executive of Leeds Playhouse, marking a significant milestone in a career defined by vision, inclusion and artistic leadership. Having joined the organisation in 2022 as Executive Director, his promotion reflects both the confidence placed in his leadership and the impact of his work in steering one of the North’s most important cultural institutions.
Alongside his Leeds role, Iqbal holds national influence. He is a member of the Arts Council England London Area Council, a mayoral appointment, and sits on the board of UK Theatre, contributing to policy, funding and strategic direction at a national level.
Prior to Leeds Playhouse, Iqbal was chief executive of Gate Theatre, where his leadership during the post-pandemic period was widely praised, particularly for his advocacy and support of Black, Asian and ethnically diverse arts workers navigating an uncertain recovery. Earlier in his career, he served as executive producer of Eclipse Theatre Company and held senior roles at Bush Theatre and Boy Blue.
Iqbal also serves as vice chair of Tamasha Theatre Company, deputy chair of the London Theatre Consortium and a trustee at Northern Stage, positions that underline his reach across the UK theatre ecology.
For many from South Asian communities, the arts are rarely seen as a viable career. Iqbal’s journey to leading Leeds Playhouse challenges that narrative. In 2026, his influence continues to grow, inspiring a new generation to see the arts not as aspiration alone, but as opportunity.
Dharmesh Mistry: Quiet leadership strengthening faith, community and public trust
Dharmesh Mistry is one of West Yorkshire’s most influential community leaders, a figure whose impact has been built steadily over more than a decade through service, integrity and an unwavering commitment to inclusion.
Based in Leeds and active across the region, Mistry holds a number of key leadership roles. He is a trustee of the Bradford Hindu Council, chair of the West Yorkshire Hindu Police Association, and a member of both the Leeds Strategic Faith Leaders Board and the Leeds Equality Board. Through these positions, he has become a trusted bridge between communities, public services and decision-makers.
One of Mistry’s most significant recent contributions has been his role in shaping the emerging Leeds Hindu Forum a structured, unified body modelled on the Bradford Hindu Council. The forum will provide a central voice for Hindu communities in Leeds, strengthening engagement with local authorities, police, the NHS and civic institutions, while ensuring representation is consistent and respected.
His influence within policing has been particularly transformative. As chair of the West Yorkshire Hindu Police Association, Mistry has helped increase confidence among officers from diverse backgrounds, promoted cultural understanding and strengthened relationships between faith communities and police leadership. Initiatives under his leadership include Faith Trails, cultural celebrations at Leeds Police HQ, and high-level roundtables involving the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Alongside strategic leadership, Mistry remains deeply involved in grassroots action, from homeless food projects and dementia awareness to blood donation campaigns and advocacy around culturally sensitive healthcare provision.
Despite managing ongoing health challenges and a demanding full-time career, he continues to serve with humility and consistency. Dharmesh Mistry’s influence lies not in profile, but in trust, building structures, relationships and confidence that will benefit communities across West Yorkshire for generations to come.
Aihtsham Rashid: Turning conviction into innovation with Britain’s first halal pet food brand
Aihtsham Rashid is a Leeds-based entrepreneur whose influence is rooted in resilience, faith and a determination to challenge what is considered possible.
A successful businessman, Rashid’s journey has been shaped by adversity as much as
ambition. He describes himself as driven by challenge, often saying that being told he cannot do something only strengthens his resolve. “If you tell me that I can’t, then I will,” he says — a mindset forged through personal tragedy and life experiences that have reinforced his commitment to perseverance and purpose.
That determination culminated in the launch of Hurayra Halal Pet Food Ltd, which Rashid believes to be the UK’s first high-quality halal pet food brand. Designed not only for Muslim pet owners but for anyone seeking ethical, natural pet nutrition, the company addresses a long-standing gap in the market while opening up new conversations around inclusivity and consumer choice.
In a major milestone for the business, Hurayra products have been successfully stocked by Morrisons, marking a breakthrough moment for halal innovation within mainstream retail. The achievement has positioned Rashid as a pioneer — not only introducing a new category, but demonstrating that faith-led values and commercial success can work hand in hand.
Rashid’s influence extends beyond business. His commitment to giving back is reflected in philanthropic support for causes aligned with his values, including a generous donation to Allerton Cat Rescue in Bradford. For him, success carries responsibility — to community, to faith and to wider society.
In recognition of his growing profile and values-led leadership, Rashid has recently been appointed a jury member for the JEL ISABC & Edupro Green Talent Awards 2026, further cementing his role in shaping future-focused enterprise.
Aihtsham Rashid’s influence lies in vision and conviction — proving that innovation born from belief can create impact far beyond its original intent.
Cllr Mothin Ali: From grassroots leadership to shaping national influence
Cllr Mothin Ali has emerged as one of Leeds’ most influential community leaders, translating grassroots credibility into a growing national platform rooted in representation, responsibility and belonging.
Representing the Gipton and Harehills ward, Ali came to wider public attention following his election as a councillor with a decisive majority, reflecting strong local support for a leadership style grounded in lived experience and community voice. His influence has since extended beyond the city, with his recent election as joint deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales marking a significant moment — not just personally, but symbolically for inner-city representation at national level.
Ali’s leadership style has been most visible at moments of challenge. During unrest in Harehills in July 2024, he was widely praised for personally intervening on the ground, attempting to calm tensions and protect community safety. That moment underscored the trust he holds locally — not as a distant figurehead, but as someone prepared to step in and take responsibility when it matters most.
In the aftermath, Ali organised the City of Belonging event, bringing residents, organisations and civic leaders together to reflect, heal and rebuild. The initiative reinforced his belief that leadership must place community at its centre — a principle he has continued to emphasise as his influence grows.
Ali has been vocal about the need for more people from inner-city and marginalised backgrounds to occupy leadership roles, arguing that policy is most effective when shaped by those who understand its real-world impact. His rise within a party gaining national traction highlights how local credibility can translate into wider influence.
Cllr Mothin Ali’s significance lies not in ideology alone, but in example — showing how community-rooted leadership can travel from neighbourhood streets to national decision-making, without losing sight of the people it seeks to serve.
Satnam Galsian: Reimagining tradition and amplifying women’s voices through music
Satnam Galsian has established herself as one of Leeds’ most compelling and influential
voices in contemporary folk music, an artist whose work bridges heritage, identity and social change.
A British-Punjabi singer-songwriter based in Leeds, Galsian performs both as a solo artist and with her band Kinaara, exploring rich musical traditions that span North Indian, Punjabi and Western folk influences. Her work draws deeply on her cultural heritage while challenging entrenched narratives about women’s roles within those traditions, particularly through her reinterpretations of Punjabi and English folk songs that historically reflected patriarchal viewpoints.
Galsian’s music and creative practice have been recognised through prestigious opportunities and residencies. In 2024, she was selected for the Opera North Resonance Residency, where she developed a feminist reimagining of the Punjabi love story Mirza-Sahiban, reframing it to give agency to the female protagonist and challenge traditional assumptions. Galsian’s research work, supported by the English Folk Dance and Song Society’s Alan James Creative Bursary, has examined gender-based narratives in folk traditions and inspired her debut solo work Fragmented Truth, which responds with empowering, contemporary perspectives.
Beyond performance, Galsian uses her influence to support community wellbeing and youth progression. As Youth Progression Coordinator for Launchpad/Music Local, she delivers music and mental health workshops, creates performance opportunities for young people and speaks about careers in the music industry, particularly championing pathways for South Asian women and artists of colour.
Satnam Galsian’s influence extends beyond the stage. Her music, advocacy and creative leadership challenge preconceived notions about culture, gender and artistic possibility, inspiring others to see music not just as entertainment, but as a powerful lens for social reflection and change.
Nahid Rasool: Leading community resilience and women’s empowerment in inner-city Leeds
Nahid Rasool is one of Leeds’ most influential grassroots leaders, whose quiet but determined leadership has helped transform lives in one of the city’s most deprived neighbourhoods.
As chief executive of Shantona Women’s and Family Services, based in Harehills, Rasool has dedicated her career to supporting women, families and marginalised communities — long before such work attracted national attention. Having worked with the organisation since its founding, she embodies its mission and values, combining lived experience with strategic leadership.
Shantona was established in 1998 by local Bangladeshi women who wanted a safe, supportive space of their own, separate from male-dominated community centres. Under Rasool’s leadership, the charity has grown into a vital community anchor, responding to complex social challenges with culturally sensitive, community-led solutions.
In early 2025, Rasool’s work gained national recognition when Shantona secured a £1 million government funding boost to refurbish its community space. The investment marked a major milestone — not just for the organisation, but for Harehills itself. The upgraded centre will host permanent partner agencies, expand access to services and include a community café run by women who use Shantona’s support, creating pathways into skills, confidence and employment.
One of Rasool’s most influential contributions has been the development of Shantona’s Community Messenger model. Originally created in response to high infant mortality rates in Inner East Leeds, the programme equips staff and volunteers with the tools to identify and address emerging issues within the community. Today, more than 35 staff and 15 volunteers deliver support in 16 languages, ensuring no one is excluded due to language or cultural barriers.
Nahid Rasool’s influence lies in trust, continuity and impact. Through steady leadership, she has ensured that women in Harehills are not only supported, but heard — shaping a community space built by women, for women, and led with purpose.
Leena Parmar: Driving strategic growth and redefining recruitment from Leeds
Leena Parmar has become one of Leeds’ most influential business leaders, building a home-grown recruitment agency into a rapidly scaling national success story while championing
innovation, culture and opportunity in the regional economy.
As founder and managing director of Citrus Connect Recruitment, Parmar has led the Leeds-based specialist consultancy through record results in 2025, achieving double-digit revenue growth and expanding the company’s commercial reach across sectors. Since founding Citrus Connect in 2009, she has focused on delivering bespoke sales recruitment solutions, helping organisations build elite sales teams and transforming how recruitment meets market needs.
Under Parmar’s strategic leadership, Citrus Connect has reported one of its strongest years yet, driven by investment in digital transformation, refined systems and a strengthened focus on client and candidate experience. The agency placed more than 200 candidates in 2025 while enhancing retention and expanding into new markets such as healthcare and luxury home improvements, a testament to Parmar’s growth mindset and operational acumen.
Parmar’s influence also extends into organisational culture and corporate purpose. She has articulated a vision for work that goes beyond transactional hiring, one rooted in purpose, fulfilment and ethical practice, with a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion and community impact. Her approach has resonated locally and nationally, earning Citrus Connect multiple business awards and recognition as a leading independent sales recruitment specialist.
A leader who thrives on challenge and rejects excuses, Parmar is deeply committed to enabling careers, supporting businesses and shaping a recruitment sector that is both dynamic and values-led. Her influence lies in strategic growth driven from Leeds, proving that regional leadership can compete with the best nationally, while staying rooted in principle and impact.
Cllr Salma Arif: Breaking barriers and shaping inclusive leadership in Leeds
Cllr Salma Arif stands as one of Leeds’ most influential civic leaders, having made history as the first Muslim woman and the only South Asian woman, to serve on the Executive Board (Cabinet) of Leeds City Council.
Born and raised in the city, Arif brings lived experience, credibility and deep-rooted understanding to her role. She currently holds the Adult Social Care, Active Leeds and Culture portfolio, one of the most wide-reaching and socially significant remits within the council. The role places her at the heart of services that support vulnerable residents, promote health and wellbeing, and sustain the cultural life of the city.
Arif is widely respected for her visible, hands-on leadership style. She combines strategic oversight with strong advocacy for residents, ensuring that policy decisions translate into tangible improvements on the ground. Her work has focused on strengthening adult social care provision, championing physical activity and preventative health, and supporting cultural and community spaces that play a vital role in social cohesion.
Central to Arif’s influence is her commitment to inclusion. She has consistently used her platform to amplify under-represented voices, challenge inequality and ensure that services are accessible and responsive to the communities they serve. Working constructively with partners across the public, voluntary and community sectors, she has built trust through collaboration rather than rhetoric.
Her leadership extends beyond formal decision-making. As a role model, Arif’s presence in senior civic leadership has helped widen perceptions of who belongs in positions of power, encouraging greater participation in public life from communities that have historically been under-represented.
Cllr Salma Arif exemplifies influence rooted in service. Through integrity, visibility and results-driven leadership, she continues to shape Leeds’ future while inspiring others to engage, lead and believe that change is possible from within their own communities.
Sharon Jandu OBE: Powering partnerships, policy and opportunity across the North
Sharon Jandu OBE is one of Leeds’ most influential business leaders and connectors, a figure whose impact is defined by her ability to bring people, policy and purpose together at scale.
In August 2025, Jandu was appointed Director of Strategic Partnerships and External Engagements at India ISS Freeports, a role that places her at the centre of international trade, investment and economic collaboration between the UK and India. The appointment reflects her long-standing reputation as a trusted bridge between government, business and communities.
Alongside this national role, Jandu serves as a non-executive director at the Federation of Small Businesses, managing director of the NPH Ethnic Minority Business and Policy Forum, and founder of the Northern Asian Power, a platform dedicated to amplifying South Asian voices in policy and economic leadership.
A highly accomplished academic as well as practitioner, Jandu holds four degrees, including two master’s qualifications, bringing intellectual rigour to her work in strategy, governance and advocacy. Her influence is particularly evident in how she has consistently platformed South Asian businesses across the North, creating access to networking, training and decision-makers that might otherwise remain out of reach.
Beyond business, Jandu has used her influence for social good. Her support for charities such as Women’s Whispers demonstrates how she leverages her networks to deliver tangible outcomes, from hosting senior civic leaders at charity headquarters to facilitating critical resources, including the donation of a van to support frontline work.
What sets Jandu apart is range. She moves confidently across corporate, civic and community spaces, going beyond formal titles to ensure impact is real and lasting.
In 2025, Sharon Jandu OBE’s influence lies in connection, transforming relationships into opportunity, advocacy into action, and networks into measurable change for businesses and communities across Leeds and the wider North.
