ABDN History

The idea of developing a network of influence was conceived 13 years ago by Arshad Chaudhry, Chairman of ABDN. The realisation that business support agencies were not engaging with the Asian business community and that a gateway was needed to enable mainstream agencies to reach this community was the driver. The idea was pretty simple , not to recreate the wheel but to help the existing business support network by opening doors into an entrepreneurial and dynamic business community, but one which could do with better management and financial discipline. ABDN was created in the summer of 1997 by four enthusiastic members of which Arshad himself and Gurdev Dahele, Vice Chairman, remain.

Sustaining and growing for the past 13 years, one of the greatest strengths of ABDN is that it has always been and still is run by a board of directors who voluntarily give their time. These are exceptional individuals who are devoted to the cause. All from a range of different business backgrounds with different areas of expertise, they share the same passion and goal to make a real difference and change in the community. One of ABDN’s great strength’s is the balance between communities that it brings at all levels. ABDN continues to prosper in tumultuous times as it has never let go of its ethos of breaking barriers, bringing communities together and making a difference. Corporate Social Responsibility is high on the ABDN agenda.

Forming new partnerships and cementing existing ones with the likes of PWC, Gordon’s, Business Link Yorkshire, Jaguar, IBM, Yorkshire Forward, HSBC, NatWest, LSC, Versa, Local Authorities and many others, provides ABDN with the support needed for its numerous events and projects run successfully over the past 13 years. The past year the Network has embarked on expansion beyond the Leeds City Region. ABDN 2009 The 11th Annual Dinner and Business Awards created a benchmark for an inspirational business extravaganza. A hard act to follow, but the 12th Annual Dinner surpassed all expectations with a dynamic event breaking all barriers in front of an ecstatic audience of nearly 850. The series of Asian Business Leaders Round Tables, the Inspire to Success and projects like the Sharing the Success, Apprenticeship Programme and Train to Gain have kept ABDN at the forefront in spite of constraints on its funding. ABDN has strived to continue to reach out and engage a countless number of people, to inspire many to keep pushing the boundaries to reach their goals and business aspirations.

From being the Asian Business Development Network to the ABDN Minority Ethnic Enterprise Network, ABDN has now evolved to being ABDN - The Network of Influence. ABDN South Yorkshire was launched in August 2009 and an autonomous board of 10 Directors appointed in February 2010. ABDN North West is on the cards for a launch in the autumn of 2010. ABDN Women is past the drawing board stage and will be hosting its first event before the year is out. ABDN is launching its new membership package with four tiers that will benefit all our current members from start ups, SME’s and Corporate ABDN business partners in September 2010. This frenetic activity fits in with ABDN positioning itself to be a key player under the Coalition Government’s new business support strategy.