LONDON ASIANS SET FOR TOP HONOURS

London and the South East’s Asian Community is gearing up to celebrate its success, in one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the region’s calendar.  

The Lloyds TSB Southern Jewel Awards, now in its sixth year,  will take place on 4^th October 2008 at London Hilton, Park Lane, and will honour the most talented individuals from across the region’s Asian community in the worlds of business, the media and public life.  

The shortlist includes many rising stars from across the region, which is now home to some of the UK’s brightest Asian talent. There are now 200,000 Asian businesses across UK, generating wealth at over three times the national average – and many of these are in London and the South East. 

Six awards will be announced on the evening, in the following categories:

• Professional Excellence; Public Service Excellence
• Retail Food & Franchise Excellence
• Business & Commerce Excellence
• Healthcare & Education Excellence
• Entrepreneur Excellence

and the prestigious

• Future Leaders and Lifetime Achievement Jewel Awards.  

Lloyds TSB’s title sponsorship of the Jewel Awards is just one aspect of the bank’s continuing involvement with the UK’s fast growing Asian population.  

The bank has established itself at the forefront of banking services for the UK’s Asian community and has developed a unique understanding of its Asian customers.  As well as specialist teams catering for the business needs of the UK’s Asian community, Lloyds TSB has developed a range of products and specialist services to meet the community’s unique financial requirements. These feature a range of Islamic banking services, including the Islamic Corporate Banking Account, and a tie-up with India’s second largest bank, ICICI Bank, to provide customers with free money transfers between the UK and India, as well as Rupee mortgages for Indian property purchases.  

Truett Tate, Group Executive Director, Wholesale & International Banking, Lloyds TSB, said: “The continued success story of British Asian firms is an inspiration to the wider business community. They are making their mark across fields as diverse as culture, finance, retail and professional services. “Our sponsorship of the Jewel Awards is just one way that Lloyds TSB is helping to recognise and develop this success. We have established ourselves as a bank that is  dedicated to serving Britain’s changing communities. We are continuing to develop our range of Islamic financial services and are always exploring new ways to meet the needs of our Asian customers.”  

Kamel Hothi, Asian Markets Director, Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets, says: “For half a century, the Asian community in Britain has been making a huge contribution to all aspects of life, not least the economy.   “We’re working hard to make sure that the Asian community has all the help and support it needs from us, as a bank.  But through these awards, we also want to honour the many achievements that make the community a source of inspiration to us all.    

Khalid Darr, Chairman of the Carter Andersen (CA), organisers of The Lloyds TSB Jewel Awards, says: “Asian men and women are truly, breaking new ground in their professional careers and adding real value to the UK economy, this is what these awards set out to recognise.”  The Lloyds TSB Southern Jewel Awards is the last of three glittering award ceremonies celebrating the achievements of UK Asian businesses.

The Northern Jewel Awards took place on 19^th April 2008 at Palace Hotel Manchester and the Central Jewel Awards on 21^st June 2008 at NEC Hilton.