Why South Asian businesses are central to the West Midlands' economic future

Professor Monder Ram OBE, DL is Director of the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) at Aston University,
and a leading international scholar whose pioneering work has shaped understanding of ethnic minority entrepreneurship for over three decades. Twice awarded the ESRC Impact Prize for Business, Professor Ram has advised successive UK governments, led transformative social science initiatives, and worked directly with communities to turn research into real-world impact.

Drawing on both his academic expertise and personal experience, Professor Ram reflects on the entrepreneurial spirit at the heart of South Asian Heritage Month - and why unlocking its full potential could be a game-changer for the West Midlands economy.

As we mark South Asian Heritage Month, I keep thinking about a story that happens thousands of times across our region. My father came to Britain with little more than determination, worked in the foundries like many Asian immigrants of his generation, then opened a small grocery shop in Winson Green. Almost by accident, he started a clothing business that became our family's foundation. That journey from survival to enterprise tells you everything about South Asian business in the West Midlands.

This isn't just personal history. It's economic reality. Across the UK, roughly 250,000 ethnic minority businesses contribute £25 billion annually to our economy. Yet research from our Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship shows this is just the start. With proper support that tackles longstanding barriers, this contribution could quadruple to £100 billion. The West Midlands, as one of Britain's most diverse and entrepreneurial regions, could lead this transformation.

Walk through Birmingham's Balti Triangle, visit the Bangladeshi restaurants that have redefined British cuisine, or explore the Punjabi manufacturing firms that anchor supply chains from automotive to textiles. These businesses serve far more than their own communities. They've become vital to the region's export economy and supply chains. The creative entrepreneurs we support through our 'P Word' leadership programme (with Punch Records) open new markets while the established catering sector showed remarkable adaptability during COVID, moved online and reimagined how they served customers.

What makes ethnic minority businesses strategic assets rather than simply community enterprises? They consistently show exceptional resilience and bring global networks and perspectives that make our region more competitive. They revitalise high streets, create employment in areas others overlook, and operate with extended hours that serve diverse customer needs. This isn't marginal activity. This is core economic work.

Yet barriers persist. Nearly half of Asian and ethnic minority entrepreneurs cite difficulties getting finance. Many remain underrepresented in mainstream business networks and procurement chains. Research shows that systemic disadvantages persist even when you account for sector, skills, and capital. This is a massive economic waste. Talent and enterprise get held back by structures, not potential.

The West Midlands has the opportunity to pioneer a different approach. Our collaboration between CREME, Business Growth West Midlands, and the West Midlands Combined Authority already shows what inclusive business ecosystems can do. We're training business support providers to better engage overlooked microbusinesses. We're helping BGWM improve data collection so they can understand and respond to diverse entrepreneurial needs. Most importantly, we're supporting community-based support hubs (a key recommendation from our 'Time to Change' report) that take professional business support to where entrepreneurs actually are.

This work matters because the economic prize is substantial. When the Bangladeshi catering sector gets tailored digital marketing support, restaurants do more than just survive. They expand their customer base. When creative entrepreneurs access leadership development that fits their circumstances, they scale faster and employ more people. When procurement processes become genuinely inclusive, supply chains strengthen and local spending multiplies.

The West Midlands has always been shaped by waves of entrepreneurial energy. From the industrial pioneers of the 18th century to today's South Asian restaurateurs and Somali logistics entrepreneurs, this region succeeds when it draws on diverse talents and perspectives.

With the right collaborative support, South Asian and other ethnic minority businesses can drive the region's next chapter of inclusive growth - turning that £25 billion contribution into £100 billion, and changing communities and lives across the West Midlands.