Masti Radio - Ofcom Licensing

SECTION 105(A): ABILITY TO MAINTAIN PROPOSED SERVICE
1. Ownership and control of the company which will operate the licence
(a) Board of Directors
(i) Provide the name, occupation, other directorships, other media interests, background and
relevant media experience of each director (executive and non-executive), including the
proposed chairperson.
Chair (Non - Executive)
Name: Ms Nighat Awan O.B.E.
Occupation: CEO, Shere Khan Group
Other commitments: Chair, Ethnic Minority NW Development
Agency; Business Champion for Business
in the Community;
Ambassador for the Prince’s Trust and
Oxfam; Board Member of Bolton
Business Ventures and Regional CBI;
Fundraiser for Cancer BACUP;
Speaker for Cancer Research UK
Other media interests: She made a television documentary
about modern day Pakistan
Background and relevant experience:
On winning the prestigious Outstanding Contribution Award in 2004 at the Manchester
Food and Drink Festival Nighat spoke of her pride to be a “British Asian, Manchester
born and bred.”
Now a Regional Board member of the CBI and Chair of the Ethnic Minority North West
Development Agency, she began her illustrious career aged 18 printing T-shirts in her
father’s factory. Within two years she had made a name for herself in fashion through Je
T’Aime, a successful chain of women’s boutiques and the floristry business Sukhi
International, floristry products helping families in Bangladesh.
Since moving into the restaurant trade Nighat has built an international empire -The
Shere Khan Group - with world famous restaurants in Rusholme and the Trafford Centre,
plus “Express Counters” in the UK and Spain. Through her award winning business
acumen she has also developed the company’s own distinctive brand of curry products
for supermarkets around the world including Hong Kong, Canada, Belgium and the USA.
Based on Nighat’s own exacting standards, the name of the Shere Khan Group is
synonymous with quality, attracting diners from all over the world including famous
sporting figures, pop personalities and film stars to an environment light-years away from
the stereotypical impression of an Indian restaurant as a late night eating place with
dark, dated décor.
5