Zameer Choudrey, Baron Choudrey
Zameer Mohammed Choudrey, Baron Choudrey | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 23, 1958 Pakistan |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, Chief Executive Officer |
| Known for | CEO of Bestway Group |
Zameer Mohammed Choudrey, Baron Choudrey (; born 23 March 1958) is a British-Pakistani entrepreneur and the chief executive officer of the international conglomerate Bestway.
The Sunday Times Rich List UK reported his net worth at £1.53 billion in 2020, ranking him as the second wealthiest Pakistani residing in the United Kingdom.
Early life
Born in March 1958 to a family from Thathi, Gujar Khan, Pakistan, Choudrey relocated to the UK when he was 12 years old. He completed his higher education at the University of Kent, graduating in 1981.
Career
Choudrey became a qualified accountant in 1984 after training with Simmons, Cohen, Fine and Partners (currently Simmons Gainsford LLP). He holds the status of Fellow at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and is affiliated with the Institute of Directors in London. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Kent in November 2014.
Beginning his tenure at Bestway Group in 1984 as Financial Controller, he significantly contributed to the growth of its wholesale division through strategic acquisitions such as Bashin Cash & Carry (1984), Crown Crest Limited (1987), and Link Cash & Carry (1988).
Promoted to finance director in 1990, Choudrey was charged with diversifying the company’s operations during the mid-1990s and assumed the role of chief executive at Bestway Cement in 1995.
Following his leadership in acquiring United Bank Limited (UBL) in 2002, he joined UBL’s board and also holds a directorship at UBL Insurers.
In July 2014, under his guidance, Bestway Group purchased the Co-op pharmacy chain for £620 million (US$1.06 billion). This acquisition established Bestway as the proprietor of the third largest independent pharmacy network across the UK and the largest within Wales. The operation has since been rebranded as Well Pharmacy.
Philanthropy
Choudrey co-established the Bestway Foundation, a charitable trust linked to Bestway Group focusing on healthcare and education initiatives, in 1987.
In 1997, he founded Bestway Foundation Pakistan, where he serves as Chairman.
Between 2008 and 2010, he chaired NGBF Trading Limited, GroceryAid’s commercial arm. He joined Crimestoppers UK's Board of Trustees in 2009 and contributed as a trustee for GroceryAid from 2010 until 2019, supporting this key charity within the retail sector.
In May 2010, Choudrey was named Deputy Chairman of the Pakistan Britain Trade & Investment Forum. The following year, he became part of HRH Prince of Wales Pakistan Recovery Fund’s International Leadership Team.
He joined the British Asian Trust's UK Advisory Council in 2013 and was appointed Chair of its UK Advisory Council in January 2018.
In June 2019, Choudrey became a member of the Commonwealth Enterprise & Investment Council's Advisory Council to enhance commercial relations between the UK and Commonwealth countries.
Politics
A long-term advocate and financial supporter of the UK Conservative Party, Choudrey was appointed co-chairman of Conservative Friends of Pakistan in August 2013.
He delivered his inaugural speech in the House of Lords on 29 January 2020, contributing to discussions on social mobility and endorsing the Sutton Trust's Mobility Manifesto. During June 2020 debates on post-COVID-19 economic recovery measures, he called for extending government life insurance schemes to cover SMEs and BAME frontline workers within that sector.
In May 2021, while debating Her Majesty the Queen's Speech, he drew attention to issues confronting community pharmacists.
Honours
In October 2015, he was awarded the Grocer Cup in recognition of exceptional business accomplishments.
He received the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours, acknowledging his services to both the wholesale sector and charitable causes.
On 23 March 2018, the President of Pakistan conferred upon him the Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) for his notable contributions to Pakistan and his philanthropic efforts.
Included in the 2019 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours list, he was granted the peerage as Baron Choudrey, of Hampstead in the London Borough of Barnet on 9 October 2019, officially taking his seat in the House of Lords on 5 November.