Mo Chaudry

Mo Chaudry
Personal details
Born Mohammed Ishaq Chaudry
(1960-09-21) 21 September 1960
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Nationality British
Spouse(s)
Ann Chaudry (m. 1987)
Children Shaheen
Josephine
Charmaine
Residence Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Occupation Entrepreneur, property investor, leisure investor, sports management, motivational speaker

Mohammed Ishaq "Mo" Chaudry (born 21 September 1960) is a well-known British/Asian entrepreneur, property investor, leisure investor, financial advisor, fitness enthusiast, motivational speaker, columnist, and sports manager. He spent his early years in Pakistan, before travelling to England and building an estimated fortune of more than £100m, confirming himself as one of the most influential and successful businessmen in the country. Chaudry is notable for his time as chairman of WaterWorld aqua park, the biggest of its kind in the UK, from 1999 to the present day, and for his M Club fitness centres. In 2018, he acquired a majority stake in Pulse Group, the leisure equipment and provision giant partnering more than 10,000 leisure facilities in 32 countries across 5 continents. He also appeared in the Channel 4 TV series Secret Millionaire[1] and has made a number of other TV appearances. He is the manager of World's Strongest Man Eddie Hall and sponsors Paralympic medal-winning rower Ian Marsden.

Early life

Mo Chaudry was born in the Rawalpindi District of Pakistan.[2] He is the son of strongman and ex-soldier Iqbal Chaudry.[3] At the age of 8 he moved, with his family, to Luton, England, where he attended Denbigh Junior and then Beech Hill High School.[4] Upon first moving to England, Chaudry could not speak a word of English (only Punjabi)[2] and coped with negative attention by developing a combination of both fighting and communication skills. When his father began a mini-supermarket business;[3] the family moved to a bigger home in Telford, Shropshire. Mo won a place at Wellington Grammar School and later attended New College, Telford, where he passed his O-levels and A-levels. Following this, he graduated with a degree in sports science from Madeley College of Physical Education, part of North Staffordshire Polytechnic.[5] After graduating, Chaudry started work in the financial services industry, firstly as an insurance canvasser for General Portfolio [6] and then setting up his own financial services business. He made his first million, as an independent financial adviser and property investor, by the age of 30.[7]


Ventures

WaterWorld

In 1999, whilst seeking a potential business investment, Chaudry bought the failing WaterWorld aqua park from The Rank Group, for £1.5 million. Starting a major £10 million refurbishment, Chaudry quickly made WaterWorld a popular attraction. He managed to make a profit in the first year[6] and has continued to do so every year since. The WaterWorld complex now receives over 400,000 visitors annually[8] and is regarded as the most profitable water-based visitor attraction in the UK.

In 2006, Chaudry unveiled plans for a £60 million expansion of WaterWorld,[9] aimed at increasing employment from 150 to 350; bringing a further £20 million into the region’s economy[10] and doubling visitor numbers.

As a property investor, Chaudry’s plans included the development of 230 waterside apartments, 35 mews houses, three new restaurants, a fitness centre and a hotel.[10] In 2007, Subway signed a 15-year lease for a 1,200 sq ft site at WaterWorld.[11] Subway invested £120,000 to open this – the ninth – Subway in the region, which created around twenty new jobs.

In addition, The Little Gym and Lady Zone franchises[12] were attracted to the new front-of-house development.

M Club Spa and Fitness

In April 2010, Chaudry planned to undertake a £3m refurbishment of WaterWorld; investing in two water’s edge restaurants, a new beach area, a wellness centre (include beauty treatments, saunas and Jacuzzis) and an interactive play area for youngsters.[12] Over 12 months later – in May 2011, it was announced that Esporta Health Club in Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent, would close; leaving 2,500 club members looking for an alternative and causing the loss of over 40 local jobs.[13] As a member of Esporta for 12 years, when it finally closed on Thursday 30 June 2011,[13] Chaudry put in a successful take-over bid for his new venture – M Club Spa and Fitness. He completed the deal on 5 August 2011 and managed to re-open the club on 1 October.[14] Some of the facilities, at M Club Spa and Fitness, include the beauty treatments, sauna, Jacuzzi and children’s play area originally planned for WaterWorld.[15] The name of the new club – M Club Spa and Fitness – was suggested by former Esporta member Ian Holdcroft[16] and chosen, in an online poll, by over 150 people.

MIC Properties

Chaudry and his wife, Ann, are the directors of MIC Properties Ltd., which has one of the largest privately owned property portfolios in the West Midlands.[17] MIC invests primarily in commercial property and receives rent from commercial tenants. At peak market times, MIC Properties receives a net balance sheet of £22m (circa £17m in depressed market conditions).[18]


Personal life

Whilst working as a bouncer at a nightclub in Staffordshire, Chaudry met his wife Ann.[3] They got married on 5 March 1987 and have three daughters (Shaheen, Josephine and Charmaine.[19]) Chaudry and his wife currently live in the Staffordshire countryside.[3] In 2008, Chaudry became the only person to have received honorary degrees from both Staffordshire universities in the same year[20] (namely Keele University and Staffordshire University). Two years later, he was awarded the 'Star of Pakistan'[21] (the highest civil award) title at the Pakistani Achievement Awards, which recognise individuals of Pakistani origin, for excellence and positive contributions to the image of Pakistan, who act as best example of Britishness.[21] Since 2010, he has been a Destination Staffordshire Ambassador,[22] which allows him to speak to members of the press and business community on local tourism and business matters, such as the impact of tourist in Staffordshire and the benefits to the local economy. In recent years, Chaudry has become a campaigner against injustice. He has taken a stance against forced marriage[23] and successfully campaigned against the British National Party[24] to publicise their racist constitution. Chaudry is a former board member of the North Staffordshire Partnership[25] and West Midlands Business Link,[7] as well as Vice Chair of the Minority Business Association.[26]

Charity work

Chaudry has set up an endowment fund for good causes within the Staffordshire Community Foundation; providing the largest private donation to date.[27] To raise funds for the National Deaf Children's Society, he participated in a desert bike ride in the Middle East.[7] He has also been a fund-raiser for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, alongside his friends John Caudwell and Phil Taylor.[7] Chaudry supports Al Amir Foundation School in Pakistan – a middle school for around 200 children.[28] Chaudry provided land for the school and financed start-up. He is currently Ambassador for Princes Trust[29] and on the speaking Bureau for Mosaic[30] (one of Prince Charles' Charities). As part of Prince Charles's Seeing is Believing programme,[31] in 2010, Chaudry toured Pakistan and visited the flood areas.

Secret Millionaire

Chaudry appeared in the second series of the UK television programme, Secret Millionaire, on Channel 4 (first broadcast on Wednesday 12 December 2007).[1] A reality television show; it documented Chaudry going incognito into the Harehills district of Leeds – home to the city's largest Asian and ethnic community – to donate £30,000.[1]

Step Up

In conjunction with Mitchell Business and Enterprise College, Chaudry set up Step Up;[32] a unique pilot mentoring project, designed to inspire community cohesion, raise aspirations and tackle unemployment. Launched in October 2009, Step Up provides students with an opportunity to work at WaterWorld and other businesses in Stoke-on-Trent. As part of the project, teenagers from Mitchell Business and Enterprise College had to organise fund-raising activities in aid of the Donna Louise Children's Hospice Trust and the Douglas Macmillan Hospice.[32] Pupils also had to come up with a business plan for a potential family day at the Steelite factory in Middleport.

Sport

Chaudry's natural sporting talents were put to the test at university, where he won a silver medal in weightlifting at the 1982 Student Olympics and bronze in 1983.[7]An avid cricket player; while studying at New College, Telford, he won caps for Warwickshire County Cricket Club (under 19s). Later, as a player for Shifnall CC, Telford, he won full Shropshire CCC caps.[33] He has also won plaudits for his martial arts and amateur boxing exploits.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Secret Millionaire – Mo Chaudry". Channel 4. 12 December 2007. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  2. 1 2 http://www.mochaudry.co.uk/wp-content/themes/mo-chaudry/downloads/News/asian_lite_profile.pdf
  3. 1 2 3 4 Hendry, Sharon (12 January 2011). "Slumdog kids can be millionaires like me | The Sun |Woman|Real Life". London: The Sun. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  4. ↑ http:// www.mochaudry.co.uk/wp-conten/themes/mo-chaudry/downloads/News/Staffs_Uni_-_Honoured.doc
  5. ↑ SCF. "Mo Chaudry Fund". Staffsfoundation.org.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  6. 1 2 http://www.mochaudry.co.uk/wp-content/themes/mo-chaudry/downloads/News/FT_REPORT_29.03.08.pdf
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Biography". Mochaudry.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  8. ↑ WaterWorld 2000: The UK's No.1 Indoor Tropical Aqua Park
  9. ↑ http://www.mochaudry.co.uk/wp-content/themes/mo-chaudry/downloads/Documents/Fast_Facts_updated_07.pdf
  10. 1 2 http://www.mochaudry.co.uk/?p=205
  11. ↑ http://www.mochaudry.co.uk/?p=183
  12. 1 2 http://www.mochaudry.co.uk/?p=58
  13. 1 2 2,500 members are affected by closure of club
  14. ↑ http://www.mochaudry.co.uk/?p=845
  15. ↑ M Club Spa and Fitness
  16. ↑ New name for popular gym | This is Staffordshire
  17. ↑ About MIC Properties Limited
  18. ↑ http://www.mochaudry.co.uk/?p=691
  19. ↑ http://www.mochaudry.co.uk/wp-content/themes/mo-chaudry/downloads/News/Mo-takes-marriage-vow.pdf
  20. ↑ Mo Chaudry
  21. 1 2 "WaterWorld Chairman honoured at Pakistani Achievement Awards". Mochaudry.co.uk. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  22. ↑ "Destination Staffordshire Ambassador". Mochaudry.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  23. ↑ "First national forced marriage helpline launched". Mochaudry.co.uk. 11 April 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  24. ↑ Syson, Neil (22 February 2010). "Asian TV millionaire set to join the BNP | The Sun |News". London: The Sun. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  25. ↑ "Tourism – A Route to Regeneration". Mochaudry.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  26. ↑ "Ethnic Entrepreneurs profit at award bash". Mochaudry.co.uk. 3 June 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  27. ↑ We Love Stoke Fund – About
  28. ↑ Mo Chaudry sponsors Al Amir Foundation Public School – YouTube
  29. ↑ http://www.mochaudry.co.uk/?p=756
  30. ↑ Mosaic – Latest News | Charity Updates
  31. ↑ http://www.mochaudry.co.uk/?p=303
  32. 1 2 Step-Up Challenge | Mo Chaudry | Mitchell Business and Enterprise College
  33. ↑ BBC – Mo Chaudry sponsors North Staffordshire cricket
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