ASHLEY TO ENGAGE WITH LOCAL ASIAN BUSINESSES

THE increasing value of the region’s Asian business sector has been further highlighted after Newcastle United (NUFC) owner Mike Ashley initiated his bid for closer relations with the community through the Asian Business Forum North-East (ABF).

NUFC begun its interaction with the ABF after inviting 100 of the North-East’s most successful Asian businesspeople to a meet and greet reception with Mike Ashley and chairman Chris Moat at this Saturday’s home game against Bolton Wanderers.

Sharon Fletcher, head of corporate sales at Newcastle United, said: “Mike and the management team are very keen to ensure the club is seen as more than just a football team but as part of the North-East’s wider business community.

“We have liaised closely with the Asian Business Forum as it provided us with a credible access point to converse with the region’s leading Asian businesspeople. The reception arranged will provide a great icebreaker and opportunity to network between the ABF’s members and our management team.”

Present at the event will also be the chief operating officer of Sports Direct, along with former Newcastle United stars Peter Beardsley and John Beresford. Hina Joshi, vice chairman at the ABF, said:

“To be invited to engage with the North-East’s biggest football club clearly demonstrates the progress made by the Asian Business Forum in raising the profile of the prominence of Asian businesses to the region.

“We will have 100 members proudly representing the Forum at Newcastle United this weekend and it should provide a great platform to communicate with the club’s business representatives.”

Mike Ashley is the latest billionaire to back the ABF after the Hinduja brothers of the Hinduja Group, reportedly worth £6.2 billion, voiced their support for the ABF’s role of encouraging greater business co-operation and entrepreneurship in the region.

The ABF recently hosted its most successful ever annual dinner with almost 500 leading business people at the event. Its showcase event also included an inspirational keynote speech from Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, a member of the Shadow Cabinet with responsibility for Community Cohesion.

Just weeks after the event, the Baroness’ profile reached a global audience as she travelled to Sudan, successfully negotiating and securing the early release of British teacher Gillian Gibbons who was jailed for calling a teddy bear ‘Mohammed’.

The ABF runs seminars and events throughout the year, which serve to inform members of relevant and topical issues, while providing network opportunities and a gateway to business support.

As the region’s only business forum of its kind, the ABF is the voice of the Asian business community working within the business support network and One NorthEast. Its main function is to support and facilitate the growth of Asian business within the area.

Media information

If you’d like further information regarding the ABF, please email info@abfne.co.uk or visit www.abfne.co.uk. For further media information, interview opportunities and images, please contact Raman Sehgal on 07808 796 300 / raman.sehgal9@gmail.com