Anwar Pervez
Sir Anwar Pervez | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mohammed Anwar Pervez March 15, 1935 Rawalpindi, British India |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, businessman |
| Known for | Founding chairman of Bestway Group |
Sir Mohammed Anwar Pervez OBE, HPk (; born 15 March 1935) is a British billionaire entrepreneur of Pakistani origin and the founding chairman of the Bestway Group.
The Sunday Times Rich List estimated Pervez's net worth at £3.1 billion in 2020, identifying him as the wealthiest Pakistan-born individual residing in the UK.[1] In the 2021 edition, his family's wealth was assessed at £1.364 billion, placing them at 125th position.[2]
Early life
Pervez was born on 15 March 1935 in Rawalpindi, during the period of British India, into a family engaged in subsistence farming.[3] After completing his matriculation, he pursued education at Forman Christian College before relocating to the United Kingdom in 1956 at age 21.[3][4]
Career
His initial employment was as a telephone operator with Pakistan's state telecommunications provider PTCL, earning a monthly wage, much of which was allocated to anti-malaria treatment.
Upon moving to England in 1956, Pervez worked in Bradford as a bus conductor and driver, earning weekly wages by working double shifts.
In 1961, he co-founded a retail shop in London with a friend. He subsequently purchased a residence in Kilburn and managed to save close to £4,000. Following a seven-month return to Pakistan, he opened Kashmir, a convenience store located in Earl's Court, specializing in Asian food products. Observing the demand for longer opening hours, he expanded operations to accommodate both local clientele and visitors.
Between 1963 and 1968, Pervez managed Asian specialty stores in South Kensington before diversifying his customer base. To address elevated supplier expenses, he transitioned into wholesale distribution with minimal profit margins to maintain competitive pricing.
In 1976, leveraging personal capital alongside investments from acquaintances, Pervez launched Bestway as a trade-exclusive wholesaler, inaugurating its first warehouse in Acton, West London.
In 1987, he created the Bestway Foundation, committing 2.5% of the group's profits toward initiatives focused on education and healthcare.
Bestway has developed into a multibillion-pound organization and by 2014 ranked as the United Kingdom's second-largest independent wholesaler. That year, the group purchased 774 pharmacies from The Co-operative Group for £620 million.
Personal life
Pervez is married to his second spouse, Sabiha Kasim; together they have four children. A son from each of his marriages holds a directorial role within Bestway.
In 2012, their daughter wed Syed Abid Hussain Imam, son of Pakistani political figures Abida Hussain and Fakhar Imam.
Honours
In 1992, Pervez was designated as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, followed by receiving a knighthood in 1999.
The Government of Pakistan awarded him the Hilal-i-Pakistan in 2000 in recognition of his services to the country.
See also
- ↑ Times, The Sunday. "Rich List 2020: profiles 21-50, featuring Salma Hayek and Sir Richard Branson". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
- ↑ "The Sunday Times Rich List 2021". Asian Voice. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedauto - ↑ Midgley, Dominic (21 July 2014). "Anwar Pervez: The Billionaire cash and carry King". Express. Retrieved 13 July 2015.