Mo Chaudry

Mohammed Ishaq "Mo" Chaudry (born 21 September 1960) is a British/Asian entrepreneur, property investor, former financial advisor, motivational speaker and fitness enthusiast. Ranked as one of the UK's top 100 Asian business people,^[1] He spent his early years in Pakistan, but has built an estimated fortune of around £61m (US$97 million); becoming one of the top 100 most successful business people in the Midlands. Chaudry is notable for his time as chairman of WaterWorld aqua park, from 1999 to the present day. He also appeared in the Channel 4 TV series Secret Millionaire^[2] and has made a number of other TV appearances; including Eggheads on BBC Two.^[3]

Early life

Chaudry was born near the Rawalpindi District of Pakistan.^[4] He is the son of strong man and ex-soldier Iqbal Chaudry.^[5] At the age of 8, he moved – with his family – to Luton, England, where he attended Denbigh Junior and then Beech Hill High School.^[6]

Upon first moving to England, Chaudry could not speak a word of English (only Punjabi)^[4] and coped with being bullied by developing his fighting skills. When his father began a mini-supermarket business;^[5] the family moved to a bigger home in Telford, Shropshire.

He won a place at Wellington Grammar School; leaving with just one O-level, in English Literature.^[7] Chaudry later attended New College, Telford, where he passed his O-levels and A-levels. Following this, he graduated with a degree in sports science from (Madeley College of Physical Education) North Staffordshire Polytechnic.^[7]

As Chaudry could not speak English when he first came to England, he was bullied at school, but coped with the culture shock by developing his fighting skills. Chaudry's natural sporting talents were put to the test at university, where he won a silver medal in weightlifting at the 1982 Student Olympics and bronze in 1983.^[1]

An avid cricket player; while studying at New College, Telford, he won caps for Warwickshire County Cricket Club (under 19s). Later, as a player for Shifnall CC, Telford, he won full Shropshire CCC caps.^[8] He has also won plaudits for his martial arts and amateur boxing exploits.

After graduating, Chaudry started work for the financial services industry, as an insurance canvasser for General Portfolio.^[9] He made his first million, as an independent financial adviser and property investor, by the age of 30.^[1]

Ventures

WaterWorld

In 1999, whilst seeking a potential business investment, Chaudry bought the failing WaterWorld aqua park from Rank leisure group, for £1.5m. Starting a major £10m refurbishment, Chaudry quickly made WaterWorld a popular attraction. He managed to make a profit in the first year^[9] and has continued to do so every year since. The WaterWorld complex now receives over 400,000 visitors annually^[10] and is regarded as the most profitable water-based visitor attraction in the UK

In 2006, Chaudry unveiled plans for a £60m expansion of WaterWorld,^[11] aimed at increasing employment from 150 to 350; bringing a further £20 million into the region’s economy^[12] and doubling visitor numbers. As a property investor, Chaudry’s plans included the development of 230 waterside apartments, 35 mews houses, three new restaurants, a fitness centre and a hotel.^[12] In 2007, popular, US owned sandwich chain. Subway, signed a 15-year lease for a 1,200 sq ft site at WaterWorld.^[13] Subway invested £120,000 to open this – the ninth – Subway in the region, which created around 20 new jobs. In addition, The Little Gym and Lady Zone franchises^[14] were attracted to the new front-of-house development.

M Club Spa and Fitness

In April 2010, Chaudry planned to undertake a £3m refurbishment of WaterWorld; investing in two water’s edge restaurants, a new beach area, a wellness centre (include beauty treatments, saunas and Jacuzzis) and an interactive play area for youngsters.^[14] Over 12 months later – in May 2011, it was announced that Esporta Health Club in Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent, would close; leaving 2,500 club members looking for an alternative and causing the loss of over 40 local jobs.^[15] As a member of Esporta for 12 years, when it finally closed on Thursday 30 June 2011,^[15] Chaudry put in a successful take-over bid for his new venture – M Club Spa and Fitness. He completed the deal on 5 August 2011 and managed to re-open the club on 1 October.^[16] Some of the facilities, at M Club Spa and Fitness, include the beauty treatments, sauna, Jacuzzi and children’s play area originally planned for WaterWorld.^[17] The name of the new club – M Club Spa and Fitness – was suggested by former Esporta member Ian Holdcroft^[18] and chosen, in an online poll, by over 150 people.

MIC Properties

Chaudry and his wife, Ann, are the directors of MIC Properties Ltd., which has one of the largest privately owned property portfolios in the West Midlands.^[19] MIC invests primarily in commercial property and receives rent from commercial tenants. At peak market times, MIC Properties receives a net balance sheet of £22m (circa £17m in depressed market conditions).^[20]

Attempt to buy Port Vale Football Club

Chaudry has long expressed an interest in becoming director of the football team Port Vale F.C. In December 2003, Port Vale went into administration with debts of more than £2 million.^[21] Chaudry was one of five potential buyers for the club, but Bill Bratt's Valiant 2001 supporters group eventually took the club out of administration.^[22]

In December 2010, Chaudry once again applied to become the director of Port Vale; with a proposed 51% majority share^[23] (an investment of approximately £5m) in the football club. His bid was backed by the majority of the shareholders, including former players, and celebrity fans Robbie Williams^[24] and Phil Taylor. However the Port Vale board of directors were against him taking a stake in the club and refused to consider his proposals. At a Port Vale EGM on 1 June 2011, the shareholders tried to vote out the board of directors and re-place them with an interim board in the hope it would lead to Chaudry finally been allowed to invest. However, a last minute change of sides local businessman Robert Lee voted against Chaudry, despite agreeing to sell his shareholding to him if he eventually got into power. Despite his failure to invest into Port Vale he remains a popular figure amongst many Port Vale fans. Port Vale entered administration on 9 March 2012. He became the obvious choice to take the club out of administration, though faced competition from other parties.^[25] However the administrators selected Lancashire businessman Keith Ryder as their preferred bidder.^[26]

Personal life

Whilst working as a bouncer at a nightclub in Staffordshire, Chaudry met his wife Ann.^[5] They got married on 5 March 1987 and have three daughters (Shaheen, Josephine and Charmaine.^[27]) Chaudry and his wife currently live in the Staffordshire countryside.^[5] In 2008, Chaudry became the only person to have received honorary degrees from both Staffordshire universities in the same year^[28] (namely Keele University and Staffordshire University). Two years later, he was awarded the 'Star of Pakistan'^[29] (the highest civil award) title at the Pakistani Achievement Awards, which recognise individuals of Pakistani origin, for excellence and positive contributions to the image of Pakistan, who act as best example of Britishness.^[29] Since 2010, he has been a Destination Staffordshire Ambassador,^[30] which allows him to speak to members of the press and business community on local tourism and business matters, such as the impact of tourist in Staffordshire and the benefits to the local economy. In recent years, Chaudry has become a campaigner against injustice. He has taken a stance against forced marriage^[31] and successfully campaigned against the British National Party^[32] to publicise their racist constitution. Chaudry is a former board member of the North Staffordshire Partnership^[33] and West Midlands Business Link,^[1] as well as Vice Chair of the Minority Business Association.^[34]

Charity work

Chaudry has set up an endowment fund for good causes within the Staffordshire Community Foundation; providing the largest private donation to date.^[35] To raise funds for the National Deaf Children's Society, he participated in a desert bike ride in the Middle East.^[1] He has also been a fund-raiser for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, alongside his friends John Caudwell and Phil Taylor.^[1] Chaudry supports Al Amir Foundation School in Pakistan – a middle school for around 200 children.^[36] Chaudry provided land for the school and financed start-up. He is currently Ambassador for Princes Trust^[37] and on the speaking Bureau for Mosaic^[38] (one of Prince Charles' Charities). As part of Prince Charles's Seeing is Believing programme,^[39] in 2010, Chaudry toured Pakistan and visited the flood areas.

Secret Millionaire

Chaudry appeared in the second series of the UK television programme, Secret Millionaire, on Channel 4 (first broadcast on Wednesday 12 December 2007).^[2] A reality television show; it documented Chaudry going incognito into the Harehills district of Leeds – home to the city's largest Asian and ethnic community – to donate £30,000.^[2]

Step Up

In conjunction with Mitchell Business and Enterprise College, Chaudry set up Step Up;^[40] a unique pilot mentoring project, designed to inspire community cohesion, raise aspirations and tackle unemployment. Launched in October 2009, Step Up provides students with an opportunity to work at WaterWorld and other businesses in Stoke-on-Trent. As part of the project, teenagers from Mitchell Business and Enterprise College had to organise fund-raising activities in aid of the Donna Louise Children's Hospice Trust and the Douglas Macmillan Hospice.^[40] Pupils also had to come up with a business plan for a potential family day at the Steelite factory in Middleport.

References