"The panel was instrumental in demonstrating how CEOs and individual investors can aid and benefit early-stage equity markets"
Asma Bashir
London based Entrepreneur, Asma Bashir, is encouraging international investment into UK start-ups, having represented UK businesses at the World Business Angels Investment forum, held in Istanbul last month.
Having taken place on 18th February 2019, the World Business Angels Investment Forum is the globe’s largest annual gathering of early-stage and investment markets, hosted by the World Congress of Angel Investors, which is dedicated to guiding investment into promising start-up and scale-up businesses worldwide.
A WBAF Senator, Asma moderated a panel discussion entitled, ‘Today’s CEOs as Tomorrow’s Qualified Angel Investors: Fostering Economic Development by Involving CEOs in Early-Stage Equity Markets’, which featured expert commentary from Dr Paul Doany (CEO of Turk Telecom), Peter Cowley (President of The European Trade Association of Business Angels (EBAN) Belgium), and Ugur Talayhan (Regional Vice President of Swissotel The Bosphorus, Turkey).
An experienced legal professional, Asma started her career within one of the largest law firms in the world, before starting her own business consultancy dedicated to working with Fortune 500 and UHNW individuals.
She was invited to join the World Business Angel Forum comprising of investors from over 100 countries to grow their presence in the UK and has successfully introduced investors to start-up businesses UK wide.
Here, Asma was provided with the opportunity to engage with Ministers and other lead representatives from each country, where she explained how the Department of Investment and Trade encourages investment into the UK, with incentives through tax and various R&D savings.
She confirmed: “Many CEOs want to become Angel Investors in order to support and gain a return from businesses with the potential for significant growth. However, many new Investors don’t know where to start and require guidance on what would make for an initial sound investment opportunity.”
“The Forum provided the perfect opportunity to showcase the potential business investment opportunities here in the UK, where the panel was instrumental in demonstrating how CEOs and individual investors can aid and benefit early-stage equity markets, whilst providing a fantastic opportunity to meet highly skilled and influential Angels, who will be offering a unique insight their success to date.”
In addition to her role with the World Congress of Angel Investors, Asma has recently launched a dedicated Entrepreneurs Membership Hub, Centuro Global, in partnership with experienced Business Lawyer and Entrepreneur, Zain Ali.
Asma explained: “Centuro Global is a dedicated digital platform that will drive start-up growth, offering a range of services to benefit young businesses, including IP advice, strategy for scaling and international expansion, together with unique access to funding and investment support, where my experience with the World Congress of Angel Investors will prove vital.”
“The platform has also been created to benefit high-net-worth Entrepreneurs and investors, in providing access to new businesses, whilst enabling all Members to engage with like-minded peers through Centuro events.”
