The franchise owner of 20 McDonald’s restaurants and Managing Director of Appt Corporation, Atul Pathak, was presented with the Franchisee of the Year award at the inaugural English Asian Business Awards.
The English Asian Business Awards, sponsored by HSBC, honours the determination, hard work and personal achievements of English Asian Businessmen and women at the forefront of their industries. Although this is the first year the event has taken place in England, a Scottish equivalent has been held for the past six years. The Franchisee of the Year award recognises an individual who has successfully expanded a franchise.
Pathak, who was one of 20 non-resident Indians recognised by the NRI Institute in New Delhi earlier this year for exemplary work in their respective fields, arrived in the UK from India in 1984. In 2003, he became a McDonald’s franchise owner and established his first restaurant in Southall. Today, he runs a 20-strong, and growing, restaurant group across North and North West London.
Despite a challenging economic climate, Pathak has boosted his workforce from 1,300 to over 1,500 employees in the past 16 months. In addition, he has invested over £300,000 in a state-of-the-art training facility for his staff, enabling them to boost their workplace skills and obtain nationally recognised qualifications.
Pathak believes that running a business and being socially responsible are linked and, as such, dedicates a significant amount of his personal time to community and charity groups, which in turn support the education and development of young and vulnerable people, foster community cohesion and enhance the local environment. It is Pathak’s strong community focus which has earned him the respect of police officers, school teachers, charities and community leaders in the areas where his restaurants operate.
Pathak said: “I am honoured to receive the award, which is dedicated to my employees who are the bedrock of my business and provide the best level of customer care to the thousands of customers served across my 20 McDonald’s restaurants each day.
“McDonald’s is an extremely supportive franchisor and has welcomed the new ideas I have presented. The company’s support includes excellent training and guidance, which has enabled me to grow my business while helping to make a positive contribution to the local communities where I operate.”
Published: 27 March 2012
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