The head of the UK’s Turkish Muslim business association MUSIAD, Murat Bingöl, is on the Judging Panel for “the UK’s largest awards celebrating the best of British Muslim Businesses”.

Now in its third year, Islam Channel Business Awards 2024 recognise the achievements from Britain’s leading Muslim entrepreneurs in 21 different categories, including Food & Beverage, Fashion, Travel and Tourism, and Family Business of the Year.

Mr Bingöl, who was elected President of MUSIAD UK in December 2022, is part of an esteemed panel of 14 judges that include Sir Stephen Timms MP, Muzz founder and CEO Shahzad Younas, and Chopstix co-founder Sam Elia. The Judging Panel will review all entries and decide on the 2024 winners.

All the winners will be announced at the Islam Channel Business Awards 2024, which is being held on Friday 9 February 2024.

Nominations, which started in October, are open to all entrepreneurs from Britain’s diverse 4-million-strong Muslim community, including Turks and Turkish Cypriots. Full details and the entry form are available on the awards website. Deadline for entries is 11 December 2023.

Launched in 2004, Islam Channel is the UK’s largest Muslim media by reach, watched by an estimated 60% of Britain’s 4 million Muslims. The channel broadcasts daily on a host of television platforms including SKY, Virgin Media, Freeview, and Apple TV, and is available in both English and Urdu formats.

Islam Channel’s founder and CEO, Mohamed Ali Harrath, recently arranged for the TRNC President Ersin Tatar to not only be interviewed on his vision for a two-state solution in Cyprus, but to also meet with leading British Muslims at the television channel’s Ilford studios.

The UK is one of 71 countries where MUSIAD is represented. Launched in 1990, the independent Turkish business group now has over 13,000 members whose faith is reflected in their businesses. Collectively, they represent over 60,000 enterprises that employ more than 1.8 million people.

Gaining steam during the AKP (Justice and Development Party) era, which promotes Islamic values as part of its democratic remit, MUSIAD has helped build important commercial bridges not only between businesses in Turkiye and the diaspora, but also with the Muslim world.

MUSIAD’s UK head Murat Bingöl was born in the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus with family roots hailing from Gaziantep. In October, he hosted an impressive business networking event at Guildhall attended by hundreds of British Turkish and Muslim entrepreneurs, community leaders and media.