Member Article

Meenu Malhotra, Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Northumberland...

Meenu Malhotra, founder and Chairman of Newcastle based Malhotra Group Plc, has been appointed as a new Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Northumberland, by Her Grace the Duchess of Northumberland who serves as Lord-Lieutenant.

Meenu took up the position on June 23 2021 and confirmation of the appointment was subject to ratification by Her Majesty, the Queen.

The role of a Deputy Lord-Lieutenant is to assist the Lord-Lieutenant in their duties as the Queen’s official representative for the county. The Duchess has been the Queen’s ceremonial representative for Northumberland since 2009 and is the first woman to have held the position.

Meenu is delighted to have been bestowed this opportunity to serve the residents of Northumberland, which has been his home for the past 40 years.

“The North East of England welcomed me with open arms when I moved here from India, and I am very proud to call it my home,” he said.

“I have been fortunate to contribute to the region as an entrepreneur, a mentor to local small and medium enterprises, and as a legal representative for the ethnic community.

“While I remain Chairman of Malhotra Group, a substantial proportion of my time will be devoted to a variety of current and new charitable endeavours in the region, and as a result of this appointment, the honour of supporting the Duchess. I am proud to be the first Asian to be appointed to this position.”

Meenu also retains a position as a founding board member of the West Midlands India Partnership Advisory Board, which aims to enhance UK-India relations and boost trade and investment.

His other interests include a significant development in his hometown of Ludhiana, India, which is to include a substantial number of affordable housing units.

He was named Asian Businessman of the year in 200, and in 2020 was named in both the North East’s list of most influential South Asians and in the Northern Asian Power List as a business leader.

In spite of his outstanding business success, he has not forgotten his roots, nor how difficult it can be to grow a thriving business.

As such, he spends a considerable amount of time mentoring a significant number of SME’s, investing in and guiding Little Angels and Start-Ups both in the UK and internationally, sharing with them his wisdom and experiences.

In addition to the above, Mr Malhotra both personally and via Malhotra Group plc is extremely supportive of many local and international charities.

These charitable endeavours include the funding of pioneering orthopaedic research at the Newcastle University’s Medical School in collaboration with Newcastle Hospitals Foundation Trust. Substantial funding contributions to the building of The Institute of Neurosciences of West Bengal ‘Kolkata Hospital Charity Appeal’.

The Kolkata hospital opened in 2014 offering half of its beds free of charge to the people of West Bengal, Bangladesh, Bhutan & Nepal. In the near future, Mr Malhotra’s charitable endeavours will turn its focus on the building of a multi-faith temple for the people of his birthplace in Ludhiana.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sorted PR .