Aston University research centre manager shortlisted for Asian Business Chamber of Commerce award

• Gurdeep Chima is the manager of the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME)
• She has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Young Achiever of the Year category
• The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 18 November. 

The manager of the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Business Entrepreneurship (CREME) at Aston University has been shortlisted in the 2023 Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) Awards. 

Gurdeep Chima, who has been in the role as CRÈME’s centre manager for three years, is in the running for the title of Outstanding Young Achiever of the Year.   

Gurdeep supports the Centre to achieve its mission of ‘making diversity and enterprise everyone’s business’ through stakeholder engagement, leading and delivering events and collaborating with practitioner partners on innovative business support interventions. 

In 2022 she was successful in attaining the award for the Future Face of Education and Public Sector. She is currently undertaking a senior leadership degree apprenticeship at Aston University. 

Outside work she serves as a board member for Punch Records, the UK’s leading music and arts agency dedicated to working with Black music, arts and culture.

The ABCC awards will recognise and celebrate businesses and charities across nine categories all together, with all winners from each category being nominated for the overall business of the year award.

Monder Ram, professor of small business and director of CREME, said: 

“I’m delighted Gurdeep has received this recognition for her outstanding work at the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship at Aston University. 

“Gurdeep is at the heart of everything we do at CREME and is pivotal to our success as a leading centre for diversity and enterprise. She’s a model professional and richly deserves this accolade.”

Speaking about the judging process, Raj Kandola, director of external affairs at the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) and chair of the judging panel, said: 

“The judging panel was thoroughly impressed with the calibre of applicants for this year’s ABCC awards and it was a very tough process to pick winners from such an outstanding group of businesses and individuals.

“I’d like to congratulate all of the shortlisted applicants for not only going above and beyond in their roles but also playing a very important part in making our region a fantastic place to start and grow a business.”

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Saturday 18 November at The National Conference Centre in Solihull.

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