Entrepreneur Lord Karan Bilimoria

Lord Karan Bilimoria of Chelsea CBE, DL - Born in 1962 India Education : Karan Bilimoria came to the UK for his higher education as a 19-year-old. Chartered Accountant with Ernst and Young, London, and graduated in Law from Cambridge University. Career : Started Cobra Beer in 1989 and brand has a current retail value turnover of £96 million. He is the Representative Deputy Lieutenant of the London Borough of Hounslow and among many other positions serves as Chancellor of Thames Valley University. He sits on the Government’s National Employment Panel (NEP), and from 2001 to 2005 was Chairman of the NEP’s SME Board. Moved from CEO of Cobra Beer to Chairman in 2007. Cobra has recently purchased a brewery in India to grow its market share. Cobra UK was put into administration by Lord Bilimoria in May 2009 with debts of £75m and under the terms of a "pre-pack administration", joined with 50.1% stake holder Molson Coors to create a new business with him as Chairman. Awards : He has been awarded honorary doctorates by Brunel University, Heriot-Watt University and Staffordshire University. Best in Britain (BIBA) Industry Personality of the Year 2007. Awarded 2008 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman. He was one of the 12 recipients of the award presented by President Pratibha Patil at the valedictory session of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2008, the annual conclave of the Indian diaspora, in recognition of the input of Indians overseas.