Success for Oldham in the Greater Manchester Asian Business Leaders Awards

dsgnuk being presented with the Excellence in Customer Service Award by Oldham West and Royton MP, Jim McMahon.

From social enterprise Upturn to digital marketeers dsgn uk, Oldham dominated the Greater Manchester Asian Business Leaders Awards (27 February). 

Designed to reward organisations and celebrate Asian businesses who contribute to the local economy and community, the awards portrayed the borough as a hub of ingenuity, activity and compassion. 

Other Oldham winner Cholo Digital displayed all of these qualities. The Featherstall Road South concern provide a complete package of digital marketing from logo design, branding and website to e-commerce, digital marketing and web application development. They scooped the Successful Application of Digital Media Award (see full list of winners). 

Dsgnuk’s staggering journey from small business based in a Werneth garage to successful concern with a portfolio of clients that includes Cisco and the NHS, was honoured by Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon. 

Upturn received a rousing ovation at the Vermilion ceremony (Manchester) for their work inspiring others and introducing a sense of community cohesion. A not-for-profit organisation, it is committed to aiding individuals, public, private and their sector concerns to unlock and fulfil their potential. They achieve this by delivering sustainable solutions that have a positive impact on their wider community.

Amongst the other awards recipients was Greater Manchester solicitor, Ayesha Nayyar. Best known as the face of BBC daytime programme, “Crime – Are We Tough Enough?”,   her endeavours turning a husband and wife business in a temporary office into a £2 million law firm with 25 staff in less than a decade, were honoured.

Muzahid Khan, one of the organisers of the awards, was keen to point out that they are not merely a pat-on-the back for the best of business, but work as an inspiration to others. He called on all winners to get out into their local schools and communities and engage with people, sharing the secrets of their successes and offering insight into the fast paced changing world of commerce.

He said: “All of our award winners are positive role models and in the case of Ayesha, that is a particularly important factor. Dsgn uk chief executive Ansar Ali is using his notoriety to create a podcast for Asian men with mental health issues and other finalists have formed charities and taken a lively interest in young people's training schemes such as the Hideout Youth Zone in Gorton. Ayesha stands as a shining symbol to women everywhere to overcome barriers and smash through the glass ceiling.”

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