Text of speech - ABDN 2011

These last 3 years have been difficult, for most of us, but like our role models here tonight, we at ABDN have never flinched from doing things differently, from believing in ourselves. Standing still has never been an option, as times change, we have to reinvent ourselves. From those heady days in 1996 when we planted the seeds of The Asian Business Development Network to its metamorphosis into ABDN The Network of Influence, operating from West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and The NorthWest, the evolution has followed our vision. The vision to inspire enterprise across communities, helping integrate rather than promote a segregated ghetto culture.  ABDN represents business, not any particular section of the community, and of course you will see when we come to the awards, we had over a 100 nominations of which more than 50% were from the indigenous business community. It also demonstrates that as times change, simple entrepreneurial flair does not always work, working clever, looking beyond your comfort zones is what our winners have done, and they have Aimed High when the going was tough.

The dynamics of business support have changed with the change of government. ABDN has reinvented itself, understanding fully that we have to provide sustainable viable and commercial support to business. The heydays of hand outs are over. Businesses have to be resilient in these difficult times, they have to manage their resources efficiently, have good financial systems in place which will help them to have the support of their banks. A key ingredient missing in many Asian businesses is the lack of good financial and management information systems.  Invariably we find that a large number of SME's particularly from the Asian community are still stuck in low growth retail markets. It is time for these businesses to change. Change has a  psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better. We must not allow ourselves to get into a rut, the only difference between a rut and a grave is their dimensions.

There is much to be proud about the BME communities who have made Britain their home. Voltaire said, “If there were only one religion in England there would be danger of despotism, if there were two, they would cut each other’s throats, but there are thirty, and they live in peace and happiness.” In spite of the knocks it has suffered in recent times Britain has thrived on multiculturalism. It has welcomed newcomers for centuries. It is a mixture of diverse ethnic groups, each with their own distinct culture language or religion; a fascinating mosaic of different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams. The recent statement by Mr David Cameron, that multiculturalism has failed in Britain, has shaken the already crumbling confidence of the ethnic minority communities, particularly the 2 million Muslims who are the subject of the Prime Ministers ire. It is a travesty to put down the success, economic cultural and social, that the coming together of the multitude of nationalities has had on Britain, particularly over the past 50 years. Ghettos have evolved into thriving communities; Asian entrepreneurs have brought vigour and passion transforming the economic scene of the country. Those who arrived in the UK with little more than the clothes they were wearing are well established and prominent in business and professional life.