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🏆 BLACK TIE DINNER & AWARDS 🏆

Over 450 business owners and entrepreneurs from across the UK gathered at the newly opened Quaid-e-Azam Grand Ballroom in Birmingham to celebrate the ninth anniversary of Pathway2Grow’s ‘Chutney & Chat’ business networking platform, with its annual black-tie dinner & awards ceremony.

Heralded as the networking opportunity of the year, guests were treated to a keynote speech from one of the UK's most successful property entrepreneurs and Sunday Times Rich List member, Aneel Mussarat from MCR Property Group. With a property portfolio worth in excess of £5 billion, Aneel shared some of the secrets behind his success before taking questions from the audience.

On the night, 10 outstanding individuals and organisations were recognised for their contributions to business, charity, and philanthropy:

Nafila Khan - Networker of the Year 2024
Vic Younis - Excellence in Professional Services 2024
Saira Butt - Entrepreneurial Trailblazer 2024
Feedo Needo - Community Enterprise of the Year 2024
Fahim Badur - Entrepreneur of the Year 2024
Subhan Ali Shan - Rising Star 2024
Ninder Johal - Services to the Business Community 2024
Aneel Mussarat - Overall Contribution to Business & Philanthropy 2024
Professor Hanifa Shah - Lifetime Achievement Award 2024
Alan Hill - Lasting Legacy Award 2024

To top off the evening, guests sang and danced into the night with an exclusive performance from Bhangra music legend Shin of DCS, who played a variety of tracks from his 40-year music career.

Thanks to the generosity of its delegates, the event raised £18,000 via a charity raffle in aid of the Nazir Awan Foundation, with prizes including return flights to Milan and a 55” 4K Samsung television. Founded in honour and remembrance of late Pathway2Grow ambassador Nazir Awan, the foundation aims to alleviate poverty across the globe through food and clean water projects, whilst providing physical and mental health support.

#ChutneyandChat #ProfessionalNetworking
#Pathway2Grow #NetworkingEvent #Networking #BusinessNetworking #BirminghamEvents #Birmingham

🏆 BLACK TIE DINNER & AWARDS 🏆

Over 450 business owners and entrepreneurs from across the UK gathered at the newly opened Quaid-e-Azam Grand Ballroom in Birmingham to celebrate the ninth anniversary of Pathway2Grow’s ‘Chutney & Chat’ business networking platform, with its annual black-tie dinner & awards ceremony.

Heralded as the networking opportunity of the year, guests were treated to a keynote speech from one of the UK's most successful property entrepreneurs and Sunday Times Rich List member, Aneel Mussarat from MCR Property Group. With a property portfolio worth in excess of £5 billion, Aneel shared some of the secrets behind his success before taking questions from the audience.

On the night, 10 outstanding individuals and organisations were recognised for their contributions to business, charity, and philanthropy:

Nafila Khan - Networker of the Year 2024
Vic Younis - Excellence in Professional Services 2024
Saira Butt - Entrepreneurial Trailblazer 2024
Feedo Needo - Community Enterprise of the Year 2024
Fahim Badur - Entrepreneur of the Year 2024
Subhan Ali Shan - Rising Star 2024
Ninder Johal - Services to the Business Community 2024
Aneel Mussarat - Overall Contribution to Business & Philanthropy 2024
Professor Hanifa Shah - Lifetime Achievement Award 2024
Alan Hill - Lasting Legacy Award 2024

To top off the evening, guests sung and danced into the night with an exclusive performance from Bhangra music legend Shin of DCS, who played a variety of tracks from his 40-year music career.

Thanks to the generosity of its delegates, the event raised £18,000 via a charity raffle in aid of the Nazir Awan Foundation, with prizes including return flights to Milan and a 55” 4K Samsung television. Founded in honour and remembrance of late Pathway2Grow ambassador Nazir Awan, the foundation aims to alleviate poverty across the globe though food and clean water projects, whilst providing physical and mental health support.

#ChutneyandChat #ProfessionalNetworking
#Pathway2Grow #NetworkingEvent #Networking #BusinessNetworking #BirminghamEvents #Birmingham

What your plans for today ?

#fyp #birmingham #Chutneyandchat

🎤 Meet The Speaker: Akeela Ahmed MBE 🎤

For our May 2026 event, we are delighted to welcome @akeelanmahmed as our keynote speaker for the evening. Akeela is a business leader, social entrepreneur and government advisor specialising in equalities campaigning. She chaired the cross-government Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred, and is founder of @shespeakswehear, a platform to empower women with a focus on British Muslim Women. Akeela is a Trustee of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Refugee Employment Network and Pregnant Then Screwed.

#NetworkingEvent #ProfessionalNetworking #BusinessNetworking #ChutneyAndChat #Pathway2Grow

🎤 Meet The Speaker: Akeela Ahmed MBE 🎤

For our May 2026 event, we are delighted to welcome @akeelanmahmed as our keynote speaker for the evening. Akeela is a business leader, social entrepreneur and government advisor specialising in equalities campaigning. She chaired the cross-government Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred, and is founder of @shespeakswehear, a platform to empower women with a focus on British Muslim Women. Akeela is a Trustee of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Refugee Employment Network and Pregnant Then Screwed.

#NetworkingEvent #ProfessionalNetworking #BusinessNetworking #ChutneyAndChat #Pathway2Grow

🤝 AWARD-WINNING BUSINESS NETWORKING IN BIRMINGHAM 🤝

The UK's premier business networking opportunity returns to Birmingham on Thursday 21st May 2026!

Organised by @pathway2grow (an initiative of @pathwaygroup), @chutneyandchatbusinessnetwork is a friendly and relaxed environment to network, accompanied by a delicious three-course meal. With plenty of opportunities for attendees to network throughout the evening, the event is all about being social, doing business, and of course, the Balti!

Since its inception in 2015, we've built a truly amazing community, with 1000s of business owners attending our events nationwide.

We've created entrepreneurs, facilitated collaborations and enabled business growth. But most importantly, we've achieved it all whilst maintaining a welcoming and supportive environment to “Network, Learn & Grow!”

At each event, we bring you fantastic keynote speakers and industry-leading professionals to present on all things business and entrepreneurship. You will leave enlightened and motivated, with plenty of new business contacts to follow up with!

For our May 2026 event, we are delighted to welcome @akeelanmahmed as our keynote speaker for the evening. Akeela is a business leader, social entrepreneur and government advisor specialising in equalities campaigning. She chaired the cross-government Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred, and is founder of @shespeakswehear, a platform to empower women with a focus on British Muslim Women. Akeela is a Trustee of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Refugee Employment Network and Pregnant Then Screwed.

So come join us for Chutney & Chat, it might just change the way you do business!

Hosted by @abid_inspires

#NetworkingEvent #ProfessionalNetworking #BusinessNetworking #ChutneyAndChat #Pathway2Grow

After much demand - we are back with another great lineup

@chutneyandchatbusinessnetwork
@pathway2grow

Congratulations to @safaraz_ali on his MBE.

Mr. Ali has been the pillar for business, enterprise and apprenticeships within the West Midlands and beyond.

A true and selfless gentleman who has been a mentor to many and a man with a vast amount of knowledge and wisdom that he so kindly shares.

I have the honour of sitting alongside Mr. Ali on the IoDBirmingham Asian Buisness Group and a part of his Chutney and Chat Business Networking #Pathway2Grow

A huge congratulations again sir and we thank you for your continuous support and guidance.

May the almighty give you continued success.

Thank you @abid_inspires for organising a wonderful evening,

Amer Khan Awan

Congratulations to @safaraz_ali on his MBE.

Mr. Ali has been the pillar for business, enterprise and apprenticeships within the West Midlands and beyond.

A true and selfless gentleman who has been a mentor to many and a man with a vast amount of knowledge and wisdom that he so kindly shares.

I have the honour of sitting alongside Mr. Ali on the IoDBirmingham Asian Buisness Group and a part of his Chutney and Chat Business Networking #Pathway2Grow

A huge congratulations again sir and we thank you for your continuous support and guidance.

May the almighty give you continued success.

Thank you @abid_inspires for organising a wonderful evening,

Amer Khan Awan

Congratulations to @safaraz_ali on his MBE.

Mr. Ali has been the pillar for business, enterprise and apprenticeships within the West Midlands and beyond.

A true and selfless gentleman who has been a mentor to many and a man with a vast amount of knowledge and wisdom that he so kindly shares.

I have the honour of sitting alongside Mr. Ali on the IoDBirmingham Asian Buisness Group and a part of his Chutney and Chat Business Networking #Pathway2Grow

A huge congratulations again sir and we thank you for your continuous support and guidance.

May the almighty give you continued success.

Thank you @abid_inspires for organising a wonderful evening,

Amer Khan Awan

Congratulations to @safaraz_ali on his MBE.

Mr. Ali has been the pillar for business, enterprise and apprenticeships within the West Midlands and beyond.

A true and selfless gentleman who has been a mentor to many and a man with a vast amount of knowledge and wisdom that he so kindly shares.

I have the honour of sitting alongside Mr. Ali on the IoDBirmingham Asian Buisness Group and a part of his Chutney and Chat Business Networking #Pathway2Grow

A huge congratulations again sir and we thank you for your continuous support and guidance.

May the almighty give you continued success.

Thank you @abid_inspires for organising a wonderful evening,

Amer Khan Awan

Congratulations to @safaraz_ali on his MBE.

Mr. Ali has been the pillar for business, enterprise and apprenticeships within the West Midlands and beyond.

A true and selfless gentleman who has been a mentor to many and a man with a vast amount of knowledge and wisdom that he so kindly shares.

I have the honour of sitting alongside Mr. Ali on the IoDBirmingham Asian Buisness Group and a part of his Chutney and Chat Business Networking #Pathway2Grow

A huge congratulations again sir and we thank you for your continuous support and guidance.

May the almighty give you continued success.

Thank you @abid_inspires for organising a wonderful evening,

Amer Khan Awan

🌙✨ Eid Mubarak! ✨🌙

From all of us at Pathway2Grow, we extend our warmest wishes to all those celebrating.

#EidMubarak

10 years of Pathway2Grow Chutney and Chat

Not all speeches are the same.
Nor all moments are equal.
This captures a unique moment delivered in an exceptioanl authentic manner.
The mother of all speeches by Mr Abid Khan

Many congrats @safaraz_ali on your MBE … well deserved…

Events only survive when they genuinely serve people and make a difference.

Chutney & Chat has endured and thrived because it stayed true to its why and its continued focus on staying relevant by creating a platform built on trust, honest conversation, good food, and meaningful connections.

As a team we are super grateful to our speakers, partners, collaborators past and present, and every single person who has attended, supported, challenged and believed in the cause over the last decade.

Grateful for the people, the conversations, and the journey.