Business leaders and VIP guests have gathered in Bradford for the annual NPH Property Awards and Gala Dinner, organised in partnership with the Yorkshire Asian Business Association (YABA) which is celebrating its tenth anniversary.
Addressing the sold out event at the Cedar Court Hotel, Sharon Jandu OBE – YABA founder and Managing Director of the NPH Ethnic Minority Business and Policy Forum – described YABA’s ten year milestone as “cause for both celebration and renewed ambition.”
She said: “YABA was established to create a space where Asian‑owned and diaspora‑led businesses could be seen, connected and supported.
“Over the last decade we have done exactly that: linking entrepreneurs with mentors, opening doors to networks and procurement opportunities, championing policy change, and building an inclusive regional platform that amplifies voices too often overlooked.”
She continued: “What began as practical support and trusted relationships has grown into a regional powerhouse that spans sectors, generations and geographies. Tonight, we celebrate that success and the people who built it, and we honour those leaders who will take it forward.”
Ms Jandu, who next month will be part of a Northern trade delegation to India seeking to leverage the new UK‑India Free Trade Agreement to help UK SMEs convert policy into export and partnership opportunities, told guests it was vital for businesses to work together.
“We live through political uncertainty and economic pressure,” she said. “Supply chains, finance, regulation and policy are shifting quickly. In this environment, fragmented effort is costly and isolated action is risky.”
Ms Jandu added: “Our network is not a luxury; it is an economic and civic necessity. By working together we create resilience, unlock opportunity and ensure that the North’s businesses – and the communities they serve – thrive.”
Other speakers at the high profile gathering included NPH Chair Simmy Sekhon, Bradford West MP Naz Shah, Piece Hall CEO Nicky Chance-Thompson MBE DL, Bradford Lord Mayor Councillor Mohammed Shafiq, Leeds Lord Mayor Councillor Dan Cohen, British Asian Rugby Association founder Dr Ikram Butt and Women’s Whispers Director Sunjeeda Hanif.
Amongst the award recipients on the night were Naveen Ahmed from Parklane Properties who was presented with the Developer of the Year trophy, Harpreet Banwait of Banwait Group Holdings was named Property Personality of the Year, Muneebah Shaheen from Corstophine and Wright received the trophy for Architectural Practice of the Year, Lloyds Bank was Property Finance Provider of the Year represented by Kelly Roberts, and Herbie Hursthouse from Together won the Rising Star award.
The SKA Group’s Zeb Pervaiz received the Property Deal of the Year award, Ian Atkinson collected the prize for Property Law Firm of the Year on behalf of Womble Dickinson LLP, Sukhi Kaur of Build 4 U Property Ltd was presented with the Construction Business of the Year trophy, LetzMove was Property Letting Agency of the Year with Wajid Ali Akram taking to the stage, and Manjit Virdee from Schofield Sweeney picked up the Property Agent of the Year accolade.
Appropriately, the evening concluded with Amarjit Singh – YABA Chair since its inception in 2015 – receiving the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award before cutting a specially made cake to mark YABA’s ten years of success.
