THE first Asian leader of business and industry in East Lancashire has hailed his appointment as a "milestone" for all communities.

Speaking at the Chamber of Commerce's annual dinner, the president, Sajad Butt, said his role showed the way forward for society.

And Mr Butt, who runs 3B Systems, a computer company in Nelson, revealed that a high-powered delegation of business leaders from Pakistan would shortly be coming to East Lancashire to build trade links.

"This is my first dinner as president of the chamber, so it's obviously an important milestone for me," he told the guests at the event at Ewood Park last night..

"But it's also an important milestone for East Lancashire, because I am the first president 'from outside'.

"As a businessman, I'm proud to have been chosen to represent industry and commerce in East Lancashire and I think East Lancashire can be proud of its record for welcoming and accepting immigrant communities.

"This kind of social inclusion has to be the way forward for our society. After all, if football teams can cope with diverse nationalities and languages, surely the rest of us can.

"In order to unite communities, we must set them on the road to prosperity. Decent housing, good education and an efficient and effective health service are all essential components.

"A successful economy can provide these and that is what we are working towards, and to achieve this interaction between all communities at a social, cultural, sporting and business level is the way forward."

Among the guests at the event was Mrs Humeira Ahmed, the business and cultural attach for the Pakistani Embassy, who is keen to develop links with all the communities of East Lancashire.

Mr Butt said she was arranging for a programme of visits to the area by a delegation of high-powered Pakistani businessmen.

At the start of his two-year term of office, which began in January this year, Sajad spoke about his responsibilities as a role model for Asian entrepreneurs.

As the first Asian to be elected president, he wants more business people from an ethnic minority background to become involved.

"I shall be working alongside the Asian Business Federation to help more businesses to join the mainstream economy," he added. "Asian entrepreneurs have a lot to offer East Lancashire and its economy."

Guest speaker at the event was Karren Brady, managing director of Birmingham City Football Club, who spoke about being a woman in a man's world.

She revealed the secret of her success as the only woman to run a Premier League football club.

She said there was no substitute to hard work.

Ms Brady was only 23 when media baron David Sullivan put her in charge of Birmingham City FC.

Over the past 10 years she has transformed a club she said was on the verge of extinction into on of the most profitable in the Premiership, and currently in fourth place.

"The only place you will find success before work is in the dictionary, " she said.

Ms Brady said she expected all her staff to put in the six days a week that she committed to Birmingham and revealed she had high expectations of everyone in her charge.

From soccer to computer skills

SAJAD Butt is one of East Lancashire's leading Asian figures and has established his reputation in the fields of commerce, education and sport.

The former Primet High School and Nelson and Colne College student, first made a name for himself in football. He was captain of Paak United FC and had trials with Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool FC before playing for Lancaster FC on a semi-professional basis.

A fractured skull put an end to his football career and a degree in micro-electronics led him to a job at the Drop In Skills Centre in Nelson in the early 1980s and then to Nelson and Colne College as a lecturer in technology. In 1985, he helped his brothers Ijaz and Nosh to set up their own computer business in Nelson, Butt's Bits and Bytes.

After spending nine years working at Lancaster and Morecambe College, Sajad returned to Nelson in 1998 to join the family business, now called 3B Systems, which is based in a disused Baptist chapel close to the town centre.

With a staff of 12, 3B Systems supplies PCs and computer networks throughout the UK. In addition to home PCs, the company provides IT solutions to small businesses and is particularly strong in the education market.