Championing Diversity in Leadership: IoD British Asian Business Community.

Leadership that reflects the society it serves is not a luxury – it’s a necessity. Across Britain, the contribution of Asian and minority ethnic entrepreneurs is one of the great, and often under-recognised, success stories of modern enterprise. Collectively, these businesses contribute over £74 billion to the UK economy each year, representing one in six of all registered firms and employing nearly three million people.

And yet, even with this scale of impact, too few of these voices are visible at the very top. As recently as 2017, over half of FTSE 100 boards had no ethnic representation. While that number has improved, representation at the highest levels of leadership remains far from where it should be.

This is where organisations such as the Institute of Directors (IoD) – and its British Asian Business Community Special Interest Group (SIG) – have a vital role to play.

The Direction of Travel: From Compliance to Competence

Boardrooms across Britain are evolving. The direction of travel is clear – a shift from titles and tenure to competence and conduct.

Today’s directors are expected to demonstrate not only experience but formal training, governance literacy and ethical accountability. New codes of practice, ESG standards and public expectations are reshaping what good leadership looks like.

Boards must now show rigour in:

• Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) oversight
• Diversity and inclusion, measured not as an initiative but as a performance driver
• Digital and AI literacy, to navigate transformation responsibly
• Stakeholder transparency, risk management and public accountability

This changing environment opens the door to a new generation of leaders – those who combine lived experience with professional excellence. The IoD stands at the forefront of this evolution, setting benchmarks for competence, behaviour and impact.

Professionalising the Role of Director

Good governance does not happen by accident; it is cultivated through knowledge, discipline and reflection.
That belief led me to complete the IoD Certificate in Company Direction, part of the prestigious Chartered Director programme.

The programme deepened my understanding of fiduciary duty, risk management, strategic alignment and ethical leadership. More importantly, it reinforced a central truth – that the title of “director” must be earned through learning, accountability and integrity.

Professionalising the director’s role transforms leadership from an informal appointment to a recognised profession.
It ensures that:

• Better directors lead to better-run businesses
• Better businesses strengthen communities
• And stronger communities build a better, fairer Britain

From Networking to Nation-Building

The IoD British Asian Business Community SIG has grown far beyond a networking circle. It has become a movement for leadership development, visibility and influence, guided by three core pillars: Influence, Connect and Develop.

• Influence: representing directors’ priorities to government, regulators and industry bodies.
• Connect: creating opportunities for collaboration and peer learning across sectors and generations.
• Develop: supporting emerging talent through mentoring, champion programmes and board-readiness initiatives.

Through panel events, leadership dinners and policy round-tables held in Birmingham, London and Manchester, the SIG provides a platform for ideas to turn into action – linking enterprise with governance and community with growth.

Why it matters?

The UK stands at a crossroads in governance. Devolution, digital disruption, ESG expectations and economic uncertainty are transforming what board leadership requires. The most successful organisations will be those whose boards combine diverse perspectives with professional rigour.

The IoD – through its qualifications, advocacy and communities like the British Asian Business Community SIG – is helping to build exactly that kind of leadership.

It’s about more than representation; it’s about readiness.
About ensuring directors are equipped, empowered and ethical.
About building a boardroom that truly reflects the dynamism and diversity of modern Britain.

Safaraz Ali