Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia Explained

Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia
Birth Name:Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia
Birth Place:Kampala, Uganda
Nationality:British
Occupation:Businessman and Entrepreneur
Known For:Founder of Euro Car Parts
Non-Executive Chairman of Dominvs Group
Spouse:Rani Ahluwalia
Children:3

Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia (born October 1958)[1] is a British businessman and entrepreneur based in London.

He is the founder and Non-Executive Chairman of Dominvs Group, a real estate, hospitality and asset management company.[2] Ahluwalia also is founder and former Executive Chairman of car parts distributor Euro Car Parts.[3]

Early life

Born in Kampala, Uganda into a Sikh family, Ahluwalia’s parents emigrated to the UK in 1972, when Ahluwalia was 13 years old, to escape persecution under Idi Amin.[4] When they arrived in the UK, the family spent a year in temporary shared accommodation.[5]

As a teenager, Ahluwalia spent time in the markets of Petticoat Lane and Liverpool Street.

Career

Euro Car Parts

Ahluwalia founded Euro Car Parts in 1978 after borrowing £5,000 from his father and bank loan to buy a car parts shop in Willesden, London. The shop, originally called Highway Autos, was renamed Euro Car Parts a year later.

In 1981, Ahluwalia opened a second branch of the company in the Willesden area. The company originally supplied car parts for BMW, Mercedes, Porsche and VW vehicles. The company expanded to become a leading supplier of parts, paints and equipment for cars and light commercial vehicles in the UK.[6]

By 2011, Euro Car Parts employed 3,500 people across 89 locations. In October 2011, Ahluwalia sold Euro Car Parts to LKQ Corporation for £280 million, with a supplementary £55 million if targets were met.[7] [8] After the sale, Ahluwalia became Executive Chairman of LKQ Corporation's businesses in the UK, Ireland and India,[9] but stepped down from the board in December 2018.[10]

Personal life

He is married to Rani Ahluwalia and they have three sons who are also involved in the businesses.[11]

As of May 2018, Ahluwalia is the fourth richest refugee in the UK.[12] According to The Sunday Times Rich List 2019, the Ahluwalia family have a net worth of £500 million.[13]

References

  1. Web site: Sukhpal AHLUWALIA - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House). beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. en. 2018-03-02.
  2. News: UK Indian billionaires. en-US. The Financial Express. 2018-03-02.
  3. News: Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia sells Euro Car Parts for £225m after starting it with £5,000. Osborne. Alistair. 2011-10-05. The Telegraph. 2018-05-21. en-GB. 0307-1235.
  4. News: Asian entrepreneur moves on from the Euro Car Parts group he founded. Osborne. Alistair. 2014-04-21. The Telegraph. 2018-03-02. en-GB. 0307-1235.
  5. News: How a refugee created 3,500 jobs in Britain. Kirby. Arthur. CNNMoney. 2018-03-02.
  6. Web site: Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia sells Euro Car Parts for £225m after starting it with £5,000. 2020-09-18. The Telegraph. 5 October 2011 . en-GB.
  7. Web site: LKQ Corporation Appoints Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia To Its Board Of Directors. investor.lkqcorp.com. en-CA. 2018-03-02.
  8. News: Euro Car Parts sold to LKQ for £225m. 4 October 2011. Financial Times. en-GB. 2018-03-02.
  9. Web site: LKQ Corporation Announces Director Resignation. 2020-09-18. investor.lkqcorp.com. en-US.
  10. Web site: Jobs axe hangs over car parts distributor as top team quits.
  11. Web site: Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia — Official Biography. 2020-09-18. The Entrepreneurs Network. en-US.
  12. News: List. Robert Watts, Compiler of the Rich. 2018-05-06. Penniless refugees flee war to land on Rich List with £6bn. en. The Sunday Times. 2018-05-21. 0956-1382.
  13. News: Times. The Sunday. 2019-05-12. Rich List 2019: profiles 251-298=. The Times. en. 2019-05-28. 0140-0460.