ONE of Britain’s best-known industrialists scooped the top honour at the annual Asian Business Awards on Friday (15).
Lord Swraj Paul, who founded Caparo, an international business conglomerate producing steel and niche engineering products, was recognised with the coveted Asian Business of the Year award.
The 94-year-old moved to the UK in the 1960s to seek medical treatment for his young daughter, Ambika, but stayed on and set up his business empire, which has now diversified into hotels and property, power and logistics, finance and investment.
Congratulations to The Rt Hon. Lord Swraj Paul of Marylebone, Founder of Caparo, for being named Asian Business of the Year at the Asian Business Awards!
After winning the award, Lord Paul said: “I remember when Mark Tully interviewed me when I first started in Britain. He asked, ‘Lord, how much are you British, and how much are you Indian?’ I said, ‘I am a hundred per cent British and a hundred per cent Indian.’”
Caparo has revenues of $1 billion, with a presence in the US, Canada, the UK, India and the UAE, employing 11,000 people.
“My family and I fought for India’s freedom. My brother and I, along with others, came to our house where I started in 1948. I later built my first factory in Huntingdon, at John Baker’s facility. The second plant I built at that time was opened by the Prince of Wales, who is now the King,” he said.
Lord Paul is also known for his philanthropy, having donated major sums to London Zoo and funding universities in the UK and US.
In total, nine winners were recognised on the night, as the best of British Asian enterprise and success was celebrated at the gala event.
Chief guest Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Cabinet Office minister, paid tribute to Asian businesses, saying they have grown to be “an economic powerhouse in this country”.
He added: “And some of those business founders came to the UK with next to nothing, built their way up, created wonderful success stories Read More….
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