Co-founders of London's favourite Asian radio station Sumerah Ahmad and Humerah Khan were presented with the Asian Woman of Achievement Award for Entrepreneur of the Year, for their successes with Club Asia 963 & 972AM.

 

The award was presented by HRH The Duke of Kent and Baroness Andrews from the Department of Communities and Local Government at a glamorous ceremony held at the London Hilton. Sumerah Ahmad and Humerah Khan were awarded infront of an audience of industry and VIP's. Sumerah says, "It was a beautiful evening, this award is a great achievement for the entire Club Asia Team". Humerah adds  "This award is really special for us to be recognised as entrepreneurs of the year for Club Asia . We are two of the very few women radio owners in what is a male dominated industry. Thank you to everyone who has supported us".      

 

Within the last three years Club Asia Radio has come to define young Asian London, the station was launched in September 2003. During its first year on air it was the fastest growing commercial radio station in London, becoming a household name amongst the Asian community. The station has been instrumental in the emergence of rising new Asian music stars and it is widely recognised as the UK's leading brand in the Asian youth market.

 

Despite having no previous experience in radio broadcasting, Humerah, an accountancy graduate, and Sumerah, a law graduate with an NVQ in Film and Video production, managed to secure a highly sought after broadcasting licence from Ofcom. This allowed them to cater for the 700,000 previously under-served young Asians around London.

 

In 2005, the radio station was named as the Best New Business in the UK at the prestigious HSBC Start-up Starts Awards. Club Asia was not only the first Asian business to win this award, but Sumerah and Humerah are also its youngest recipients. Sumerah has won a European Federation of Black Women Business Owners Award for Best Ethnic Corporation as well as the Highly Commended Business Women of the Year at the Thames Gateway Business Awards 2005. Future plans include launching the Club Asia brand nationwide and further expansion into TV and film.

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Notes to Editor

• Club Asia broadcasts to the London Asian community on analogue 963+972AM, nationally via Sky Digital 0145 and worldwide on www.clubasiaonline.com 
• Broadcasting in English, Club Asia is a full-service, music led station which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.